Low Diagnostic Utility of Frequent Serial Tracheal Aspirate Cultures in the PICU.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To determine the diagnostic outcomes of serial tracheal aspirate cultures (TACs) in the PICU.

Design

A retrospective chart review of TAC utilization was performed. Items recorded for each TAC included the time and date of culture acquisition, result, changes in microbial resistance patterns, antimicrobial therapy, and patient clinical course.

Setting

A single urban tertiary care children's hospital in the United States.

Subjects

Patients admitted to the PICU from January 1, to October 31, 2021, for whom a TAC was performed.

Interventions

None.

Measurements and main results

One hundred fifty unique subjects had 582 TACs performed during the study period, of which 145 (24.9%) were serially repeated within 72 hours. Of these serial TACs, 8

SUBMITTER: Feldman E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10392886 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature