Preintubation Application of Oral Chlorhexidine Does Not Provide Additional Benefit in Prevention of Early-Onset Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

摘要

BACKGROUND: Daily application of oral chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) following intubation to reduce the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is now the standard of care in many ICUs. This randomized clinical trial evaluated the benefit of adding a preintubation CHX dose to the known benefit of postintubation CHX to reduce the risk of early-onset VAP. A secondary aim was to test the effect of a preintubation oral application of CHX on early endotracheal tube (ETT) colonization.