Does ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis need antibiotic treatment?

doi:10.1186/cc3535

Critical Care
Volume 9
Issue 3

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Commentary

Does ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis need antibiotic treatment?

Antonio Torres¹ and Mauricio Valencia²

¹Chairman, Department of Pulmonology and Critical Care, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Red Gira and Red Respira, Barcelona, Spain

²Critical Care Researcher, Department of Pulmonology and Critical Care, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Red Gira and Red Respira, Barcelona, Spain

author email corresponding author email

Critical Care 2005, 9:255-256doi:10.1186/cc3535


Published:	3 May 2005

See related research article http://ccforum.com/content/9/3/R238

Abstract

It is difficult to define ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis (VAT). The most accepted definition includes fever (temperature > 38°C), new or increased sputum production, a microbiologically positive respiratory sample with counts above the accepted thresholds and absence of pulmonary infiltrates on chest X-ray. Although we have no doubt that this pathologic process exists, the main controversy lies on whether this entity has any impact on the outcome and, thus, a specific therapeutic approach is suitable. We will discuss the strengths and drawbacks of the article on this topic published in this issue by Nseir et al.