Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về y học được đăng trên tạp chí y học Critical Care giúp cho các bạn có thêm kiến thức về ngành y học đề tài: Does ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis need antibiotic treatment? | Available online http content 9 3 255 Commentary Does ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis need antibiotic treatment Antonio Torres1 and Mauricio Valencia2 Chairman 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 Corresponding author Antonio Torres atorres@ Published online 3 May 2005 Critical Care 2005 9 255-256 DOI cc3535 This article is online at http content 9 3 255 2005 BioMed Central Ltd See related research by Nseir et al. in this issue http 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. Ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis VAT is a difficult entity to define. Indeed the recently published American Thoracic Society Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines 1 do not address this issue. VAT is defined as the presence of fever temperature 38 C new or increased sputum production a microbiologically positive respiratory sample with counts above accepted thresholds and absence of pulmonary infiltrates on chest radiography. The apparent crude incidence of VAT ranges from 3 to 10 2 but it is very difficult to determine the exact
