TY  - EJOU
AU  - Wang, Xiaofeng 
AU  - Huo, Da 
AU  - Li, Shuo 
AU  - Wang, Wenlong 
AU  - Zhang, Qian 
AU  - Gao, Ya 
AU  - Wang, Xu 

TI  - Impact of a Multifaceted Prevention Program on Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in a Surgical Pediatric Cardiac ICU
T2  - Structural and Congenital Heart Disease

PY  - 2026
VL  - 21
IS  - 1
SN  - 3071-1738

AB  - <b>Background:</b> This study evaluated the impact of a comprehensive prevention program, which integrated eight evidence-based measures consistent with current clinical guidelines and practice standards, on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates in a pediatric cardiac surgical intensive care unit (ICU). <b>Methods:</b> A quasi-experimental study was conducted from 2023 to 2024. We compared VAP rates across a 5-month pre-intervention period, a 12-month intervention period, and a 7-month post-intervention period in patients receiving mechanical ventilation for over 48 h. Additional outcomes, including postoperative length of stay were also assessed before and after the intervention. <b>Results:</b> Among 829 at-risk patients and 5677 ventilator-days, the VAP rates per 1000 ventilator-days were 25.7, 11.3, and 10.8 in the pre-intervention, intervention, and post-intervention periods, respectively. Poisson regression identified the intervention and post-intervention periods as protective factors for VAP. After adjusting for age, weight, emergency surgery, and cardiopulmonary bypass duration, VAP rates decreased by 56% during the intervention period (adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.382, 95% CI 0.212–0.691; <i>p</i> = 0.001) and by 58% in the post-intervention period (adjusted IRR 0.452, 95% CI 0.232–0.882; <i>p</i> = 0.020). Postoperative length of stay also declined significantly from 22 (16, 35) days pre-intervention to 21 (15, 28) days post-intervention (<i>p</i> = 0.040). <b>Conclusions:</b> Implementation of the multidisciplinary prevention program was associated with a sustained reduction in VAP rates in a surgical pediatric cardiac ICU and may contribute to shorter postoperative hospital stays.
KW  - Ventilator-associated pneumonia; prevention program; surgical pediatric cardiac ICU; postoperative length of stay

DO  - 10.32604/schd.2026.077612