• J Jason Hoth, Glen A Franklin, Nicole A Stassen, Stephen M Girard, Roman J Rodriguez, and Jorge L Rodriguez.
• Department of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kentucky 40292, USA.
• J Trauma. 2003 Aug 1; 55 (2): 249-54.

BackgroundLittle data are available regarding the impact that prolonged prophylactic antibiotic use (>48 hours) has on the development of nosocomial pneumonia. This retrospective study was conducted to assess the effect that prolonged prophylactic antibiotic use has on the development of nosocomial pneumonia and antibiotic use complications.MethodsThe records of patients who contracted nosocomial pneumonia during mechanical ventilation were retrospectively reviewed. These patients then were classified into two groups: those who received prolonged prophylactic antibiotics before the diagnosis of pneumonia and those who did not receive antibiotics.ResultsFor the patients who received prolonged prophylactic antibiotics, the first pneumonia was diagnosed later, the causative organisms were more likely to be resistant or Gram-negative bacteria, and the incidence of antibiotic complications were two times greater than for patients who did not receive extended antibiotic prophylaxis.ConclusionJustification for the use and duration of prolonged (>48 hours) prophylactic antibiotics requires careful reevaluation because this practice is associated with significant clinical complications that lead to increased use of patient resources, lengthened hospital stay, and higher cost.

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