Prophylactic antibiotics at the time of tracheotomy lowers the incidence of pneumonia

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prophylactic antibiotics at the time of tracheotomy lowers the incidence of pneumonia

AU - Johansen, Nicklas Järvelä

AU - Hahn, Christoffer Holst

PY - 2015/7

Y1 - 2015/7

N2 - Introduction: Nosocomial pneumonia in relation to tracheotomy is a well-known complication. The aim of the present study was to study prophylactic antibiotics at the time of tracheotomy as a protective factor against nosocomial pneumonia. Methods: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted on otorhinolaryngeal cancer patients requiring a surgical tracheotomy over a four-year period. Data were extracted from a digital record system. The inclusion criteria included a cancer diagnosis in the otorhinolaryngeal area; and the tracheotomy had to be the primary operation. A total of 88 patients were eligible for inclusion, forming a group without antibiotics (n = 53) treatment and a group with antibiotics (n = 35) treatment. Results: In the group without antibiotics, 67% (n = 34) developed pneumonia (not including aspirational) versus 44% (n = 14) in the group with antibiotics (p = 0.04). The 30-day mortality was 10% (n = 9), and the one-year mortality was 58% (n = 42) for the total population, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. Pneumonia after tracheotomy prolonged the hospitalisation time regardless of grouping. In the group without antibiotics, the median was seven days for patients without pneumonia compared with 12.5 days for patients with pneumonia (p < 0.01). Within the group with antibiotics, the median was ten days for the patients without pneumonia versus 16 days for those with pneumonia (p = 0.02). Conclusion: The present study indicates that prophylactic antibiotics administration at the time of tracheotomy lowers the incidence of pneumonia in otorhinolaryngeal cancer patients. Funding: not relevant. Trial Registration: not relevant.

AB - Introduction: Nosocomial pneumonia in relation to tracheotomy is a well-known complication. The aim of the present study was to study prophylactic antibiotics at the time of tracheotomy as a protective factor against nosocomial pneumonia. Methods: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted on otorhinolaryngeal cancer patients requiring a surgical tracheotomy over a four-year period. Data were extracted from a digital record system. The inclusion criteria included a cancer diagnosis in the otorhinolaryngeal area; and the tracheotomy had to be the primary operation. A total of 88 patients were eligible for inclusion, forming a group without antibiotics (n = 53) treatment and a group with antibiotics (n = 35) treatment. Results: In the group without antibiotics, 67% (n = 34) developed pneumonia (not including aspirational) versus 44% (n = 14) in the group with antibiotics (p = 0.04). The 30-day mortality was 10% (n = 9), and the one-year mortality was 58% (n = 42) for the total population, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. Pneumonia after tracheotomy prolonged the hospitalisation time regardless of grouping. In the group without antibiotics, the median was seven days for patients without pneumonia compared with 12.5 days for patients with pneumonia (p < 0.01). Within the group with antibiotics, the median was ten days for the patients without pneumonia versus 16 days for those with pneumonia (p = 0.02). Conclusion: The present study indicates that prophylactic antibiotics administration at the time of tracheotomy lowers the incidence of pneumonia in otorhinolaryngeal cancer patients. Funding: not relevant. Trial Registration: not relevant.

KW - Aged

KW - Antibiotic Prophylaxis

KW - Cross Infection

KW - Female

KW - Follow-Up Studies

KW - Humans

KW - Incidence

KW - Length of Stay

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms

KW - Pneumonia

KW - Retrospective Studies

KW - Time Factors

KW - Tracheotomy

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26183046

SN - 2245-1919

VL - 62

JO - Danish Medical Journal

JF - Danish Medical Journal

IS - 7

ER -