Aims: To determine the incidence of VAP in a PICU and the risk factors and predictors of poor outcome.

Methodology:
A prospective cohort study between July 2003 to May 2004 on children admitted in a PICU needing mechanical ventilation. Those who died within 48 hrs of mechanical ventilation were excluded. National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance definition was used to define VAP.

Results:100 children were studied of which 24 developed VAP, 79.2% were infants, ratio of M:F was 2:1.

Risk factors for VAP:

Characteristic	VAP (N-24)	No VAP (N-76)	O.R (95% C.I.)	P value
Age < 1 year Reintubation > 2 times Duration of ventilation > 3 days	19 10 23	38 117 54	3.3 (1.1 - 9.8) 2.1 (1 - 6.56) 9.37 (1.2 - 73.9	0.03 0.07 0.012

5 out of the 24 children with VAP died (mortality 20.8%)

Association of poor outcome & clinical variables:

Characteristic	O.R (95% C.I.)	P value
Female sex No. of transfusions > 5	3.4 (1.4 - 7.8) 15 (1.46 - 153.5)	0.004 0.04

Conclusion: The incidence of VAP was 24%. Infant's and those needing ventilation for more than 3 days were at high risk. Female sex and repeated transfusions were predictors of poor outcome.

NCPCC 2005 - Conference Abstracts.Pediatric Oncall [serial online] 2006 [cited 15 May 2006(Supplement 5)];3. Available from:
http://www.pediatriconcall.com/fordoctor/Conference_abstracts/
Ventilator_associated_pneumonia.asp