Table 5

Patient characteristics during the intensive care unit stay


Intention to treat
Modified intention to treat

Antibiotic treatment
n = 22
No antibiotic treatment
n = 36
P value
Antibiotic treatment
n = 18
No antibiotic treatment
n = 26
P value

Tracheostomy
5 (22)
5 (13)
>0.999
5 (27)
5 (19)
0.716
Corticosteroid use
8 (36)
19 (52)
0.283
6 (33)
13 (50)
0.359
Septic shock
1 (4)
7 (19)
0.134
1 (5)
5 (19)
0.375
ICU-acquired infections other than VAT and VAPa
7 (31)
18 (50)
0.274
6 (33)
13 (50)
0.359
     Bacteremia
6 (27)
13 (36)
0.572
5 (27)
8 (30)
>0.999
     Urinary tract infection
2 (9)
5 (13)
0.698
2 (11)
5 (19)
0.682
     Others
2 (9)
2 (5)
>0.999
2 (11)
2 (7)
>0.999
Total duration of antibiotic treatment, days
25 ± 14
19 ± 15
0.149
24 ± 15
17 ± 15
0.104
Antibiotic treatment before VAT
18 (81)
29 (80)
>0.999
15 (83)
23 (88)
0.676
Antibiotic treatment during the 8 days following random assignment
22 (100)
21 (58)
<0.001
18 (100)
10 (38)
<0.001
Reasons for antibiotic treatment during the 8 days following random assignment






     VAT
22 (100)
0 (0)
<0.001
18 (100)
0 (0)
<0.001
     VAP
0 (0)
15 (41)
<0.001
0 (0)
10 (38)
0.003
     Other infections
0 (0)
6 (16)
0.073
0 (0)
0 (0)
NA
Antibiotic treatment after day 8 post-random assignment
6 (27)
8 (22)
0.756
3 (16)
5 (19)
>0.999

Results of univariate analysis are presented. Data are expressed as frequency (percentage) or mean ± standard deviation. aSome patients had more than one ICU-acquired infection. ICU, intensive care unit; NA, not applicable; VAP, ventilator-associated pneumonia; VAT, ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis.

Nseir et al. Critical Care 2008 12:R62   doi:10.1186/cc6890