Active clinical trials for "Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated"

Critically ill patients whose lungs are supported by breathing machines (ventilators) commonly develop a new lung infection, called ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Because VAP is often fatal, antibiotics are administered whenever it is suspected. However VAP is hard to distinguish from several non-infective lung conditions and most patients with suspected VAP do not have pneumonia. Therefore many patients receive unnecessary antibiotics for several days, promoting emergence of 'superbugs'. Laboratory test results for diagnosing VAP typically only reach the doctors after 3 days. A simple test rapidly and confidently excluding VAP should improve patient care, reduce unnecessary antibiotics and decrease costs. We recently showed that low levels of specific proteins in fluid from the lungs of patients with suspected VAP effectively excluded VAP, using a test that may yield results within 6 hours. The test used is an extension of existing technology produced by our commercial partner Becton Dickinson (BD) Biosciences. Our previous findings were derived from a single hospital's intensive care unit. We have recently confirmed this finding across many intensive care units, which will help show that the test can be used in 'real life'. The aim of this study is to take the new test to the next step and determine whether it can improve the care of patients by reducing the amount of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed. This will be done using a 'randomised controlled trial', the best tool for scientifically testing a new diagnostic test. To do this we shall identify patients with suspected VAP, all of whom will have a lung sample - half of the patients will receive 'usual care' for suspected VAP, the other half will have the new test performed on their lung fluid. If the new test suggests no lung infection, the doctors will be asked to consider not giving antibiotics. We shall test how much antibiotic is given to each group.

Probiotics are commercially available live bacteria thought to have health benefits when ingested. A literature review of probiotic studies in the intensive care unit (ICU) found that in patients who receive probiotics, there is a 25% reduction in lung infection, known as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). There is also an 18% reduction in the chance of developing any infection in the ICU. However, the studies reviewed were small and not well done. Therefore, whether probiotics are really helpful or not is unclear. Before a large carefully performed study is done to evaluate the effects of probiotics in critically ill patients, a pilot trial is needed. The investigators plan to study the feasibility of such a trial in mechanically ventilated ICU patients in 11 ICUs in Ontario, investigating whether orally ingested L. rhamnosus GG (a common probiotic) prevents VAP and other infections. The 4 goals of the pilot study will be to ensure that we can successfully enrol patients; follow the protocol faithfully; make sure patients don't receive additional probiotics, and estimate how much pneumonia exists in these patients. In a separate substudy, the investigators will evaluate the effects of probiotics on lower lung infiltration with potential harmful bacteria, stool bacteria, markers of immunity called cytokines, and markers of infection called endotoxin levels. The investigators plan to enroll 150 adults admitted to ICU and receiving mechanical ventilation. Following informed consent, patients will be randomized to either L. rhamnosus GG group or an identical placebo. Twice daily, patients will receive probiotics or placebo in a feeding tube. The investigators will record all infections and other important outcomes in the ICU. This study is very important in the ongoing search for more effective strategies to prevent serious infection during critical illness. Probiotics may be an easy-to-use, readily available, inexpensive approach to help future critically ill patients around the world.

The study goal consists in the sequential collection of exhaled breath condensates (EBC) from patients receiving invasive ventilation. Subsequent Raman spectroscopy aims at the identification of putative biomarkers that could enable rapid early distinction of Ventilator-associated pneumonia.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the implementation of revised standards of care for oral hygiene (SAGE Q-care q2 Oral Cleansing and Suctioning System with and without chlorhexidine gluconate) relative to the current routine standard of care in mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the adult Intensive Care Units in Alberta Health Services Calgary Zone. This pilot study will evaluate the feasibility of performing a larger definitive study. The primary assessment of effectiveness for the definitive study will be the proportion of patients who develop ventilator-associated pneumonia.

In France, despite the implementation of bundles to prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) in the last decades, the VAP incidence remains high above 10 per cent. In the last american recommendations of VAP prevention, the drainage of subglottic secretions (SSD) has been notified among the "basic practices" to prevent VAP. Nevertheless, the diffusion of SSD in ICUs remains limited. This situation is largely due to the initial overcost of the specific endotracheal tubes allowing SSD and to the unavailability of these devices in medical units in which patients are intubated before the ICU admission. So, this pragmatical cluster randomized and cross-over study evaluates the medico-economic impact of the subglottic secretions drainage in addition to VAP prevention bundles in ICU.

The goal of this pilot study is to test the hypothesis that mechanically ventilated infants receiving Biotene OralBalance® gel for oral care would have a reduced intubation time compared to infants receiving oral care placebo. This study is also performed to test the feasibility as well the safety of Biotene OralBalance® gel.

The Nosocomial Pneumonia remains to be a major complication for patients who were incubated with ventilation. Most cases are attributed to increased bacteria flora in oropharyngeal secretion and aspiration of those organisms. Research indicates that the Gram-Negative Bacteria grows in upper air way and trachea rapidly during the initial 2-4 hospital days and the dental plague also increased dramatically at the first 5 days. About 50% cases with prolonged intubation experienced temporal swallowing disorders and majority of them recovered 7 days post weaning. Some evidence exist suggesting that oral care could reduce bacterial flora, prevent aspiration, and subsequently decrease the incidence of ventilation-associated pneumonia for this group of high risk patients. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized oral care protocol in improving oral hygiene and reducing the incidence of pneumonia on a sample of surgical patients at intensive care unit.

Background: The aspiration of contaminated secretions pooled above the endotracheal tube cuff secondary to inadvertent falls of cuff pressure is the main pathogenic mechanism of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Aim of the study: To assess the efficacy of an automatic device for the continuous regulation of tracheal tube cuff pressure in decreasing the incidence of VAP.

objective of LUNG-I3 study is to assess the quantitative and functional differences in cells between blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid after an infection, with a special focus on alveolar macrophages and neutrophils

Main purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of tNGS for pathogen detection and drug resistance analysis in VAP patients. Research site and research population: This study is planned to be conducted in hospitals, targeting VAP patients. Perform clinical routine testing and tNGS testing on lower respiratory tract samples (BALF) from VAP patients, and collect patient clinical information. Clinical routine testing includes culture (necessary), microscopy, serology, PCR, etc., and drug sensitivity tests are conducted on positive culture samples as needed. Finally, compare the consistency of tNGS detection results with clinical culture, comprehensive diagnosis, and drug sensitivity results. Further validation was conducted on consistent negative or inconsistent samples through PCR and mNGS.