What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a retrospective study in an intensive care unit to investigate if hyperbaric oxygen therapy was linked to ventilator-acquired pneumonia in patients on mechanical ventilation.
What They Found
Out of 182 patients on mechanical ventilation for over 48 hours, 42 (23%) developed at least one episode of ventilator-acquired pneumonia (VAP). While 124 (68%) of these patients received hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), the study found no association between HBOT and the occurrence of VAP. Independent risk factors for VAP included reintubation (OR: 8.3), intra-hospital transport (OR: 3.5), and the use of paralytic agents (OR: 3.3).
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This was a retrospective observational study conducted in a single intensive care unit, which may limit how broadly its findings apply to other settings.