Conclusions and Relevance Routine oral care with chlorhexidine prevents nosocomial pneumonia in cardiac surgery patients but may not decrease ventilator-associated pneumonia risk in non–cardiac surgery patients. Chlorhexidine use does not affect patient-centered outcomes in either population. Policies encouraging routine oral care with chlorhexidine for non–cardiac surgery patients merit reevaluation.
Regular oral care with chlorhexidine gluconate has become standard practice for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Surveys suggest that 60% to 70% of intensive care units in Europe and North America provide oral care with chlorhexidine at least once a day to all patients receiving mechanical ventilation.1- 5 Near-universal penetration of this practice is likely the result of 2 high-profile meta-analyses suggesting that oral care with chlorhexidine can reduce VAP rates by 30% to 40%, guideline publications recommending this practice, and the inclusion of regular oral care with chlorhexidine in the widely adopted ventilator care bundle of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.6- 9
Despite near-universal penetration of routine daily oral care with chlorhexidine, there are 3 major limitations to the current evidence base that necessitate a reappraisal. First, existing meta-analyses are heavily influenced by 3 large studies in cardiac surgery patients that accounted for 40% to 60% of patients in prior analyses.10- 12 Including these studies is problematic because the majority of patients who undergo cardiac surgery are extubated within 1 day. The pulmonary outcome in these studies is respiratory tract infections, not VAP. Second, prior meta-analyses have made little distinction between open-label vs double-blind investigations. This is critical because the diagnosis of VAP is notoriously subjective and inaccurate.13,14 Lack of blinding introduces risk of bias in favor of chlorhexidine use.15 Third, prior analyses designated VAP as the primary outcome. Rates of VAP are difficult to interpret because of their subjectivity, lack of specificity, and high interobserver variability.14,16 Duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay, and mortality are more objective and more patient-centered outcomes.
In light of these limitations, we undertook a reappraisal of the evidence base supporting routine oral care with chlorhexidine for patients receiving mechanical ventilation. We evaluated the impact of oral care with chlorhexidine on nosocomial pneumonia, mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care length of stay, hospital length of stay, and antibiotic use. We grouped studies into cardiac surgery vs non–cardiac surgery investigations and then stratified both groups into open-label vs double-blind investigations to assess the potential impact of study design on reported outcomes.
Conclusions and Relevance Routine oral care with chlorhexidine prevents nosocomial pneumonia in cardiac surgery patients but may not decrease ventilator-associated pneumonia risk in non–cardiac surgery patients. Chlorhexidine use does not affect patient-centered outcomes in either population. Policies encouraging routine oral care with chlorhexidine for non–cardiac surgery patients merit reevaluation.Regular oral care with chlorhexidine gluconate has become standard practice for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Surveys suggest that 60% to 70% of intensive care units in Europe and North America provide oral care with chlorhexidine at least once a day to all patients receiving mechanical ventilation.1- 5 Near-universal penetration of this practice is likely the result of 2 high-profile meta-analyses suggesting that oral care with chlorhexidine can reduce VAP rates by 30% to 40%, guideline publications recommending this practice, and the inclusion of regular oral care with chlorhexidine in the widely adopted ventilator care bundle of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.6- 9Despite near-universal penetration of routine daily oral care with chlorhexidine, there are 3 major limitations to the current evidence base that necessitate a reappraisal. First, existing meta-analyses are heavily influenced by 3 large studies in cardiac surgery patients that accounted for 40% to 60% of patients in prior analyses.10- 12 Including these studies is problematic because the majority of patients who undergo cardiac surgery are extubated within 1 day. The pulmonary outcome in these studies is respiratory tract infections, not VAP. Second, prior meta-analyses have made little distinction between open-label vs double-blind investigations. This is critical because the diagnosis of VAP is notoriously subjective and inaccurate.13,14 Lack of blinding introduces risk of bias in favor of chlorhexidine use.15 Third, prior analyses designated VAP as the primary outcome. Rates of VAP are difficult to interpret because of their subjectivity, lack of specificity, and high interobserver variability.14,16 Duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay, and mortality are more objective and more patient-centered outcomes.In light of these limitations, we undertook a reappraisal of the evidence base supporting routine oral care with chlorhexidine for patients receiving mechanical ventilation. We evaluated the impact of oral care with chlorhexidine on nosocomial pneumonia, mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care length of stay, hospital length of stay, and antibiotic use. We grouped studies into cardiac surgery vs non–cardiac surgery investigations and then stratified both groups into open-label vs double-blind investigations to assess the potential impact of study design on reported outcomes.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
