Comparison of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Patients Admitted to Intensive Care for COVID-19 Versus Other Reasons: A Single-Centered Study

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 patients in intensive care usually need invasive mechanical ventilation due to advanced respiratory failure. Deep lymphopenia, immunosuppressive agents, long-term mechanical ventilation, and sedation may lead to ventilator-associated pneumonia; an important cause of morbidity and mortality. This study evaluates the frequency, clinical features, causative pathogens, and outcomes of ventilator-associated pneumonia in COVID-19 patients who require mechanical ventilation. METHODS: The files of patients hospitalized in our hospital’s intensive care clinic between March 25, 2020, and January 15, 2021, in the first 2 peaks due to COVID-19 and other reasons were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: We found ventilator-associated pneumonia rate in COVID-19 patients as 52.2%, which was statistically significantly higher than in non-COVID patients (33.5%). Purulent sputum, leukocyte, and procalcitonin levels were found to be significantly higher in both groups developing ventilator-associated pneumonia. However, fever levels were found to be significantly normal in both groups; 97.1% and 87%, respectively. High fever was observed in only 2.9% of COVID-19 patients who developed ventilator-associated pneumonia. We determined a mortality rate of 17 (100%) in the diabetes patients in the COVID-19 group, which was statistically significantly higher than in non-COVID-19 patients at 9 (64.3%). The mortality rate (86.1%) in those with COVID-19 was statistically significantly higher than in those without COVID-19 (64.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Ventilator-associated pneumonia is more common in COVID-19 patients treated with mechanical ventilation than in non-COVID patients. The predictive value of fever in the diagnosis is very low, and agent production together with increased purulent sputum will be more valuable in terms of diagnosis.