| Objective. To report the effects on outcome of selected infections in ventilator-dependent patients transferred to Barlow Respiratory Hospital for weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation in the post-intensive care unit setting.; Methods. The occurrence and type of clinical infections were obtained from 186 patients enrolled from 3/1/02-2/28/03. The data were abstracted from patients' medical records. Statistical analyses were conducted to investigate (1) the differences in length of stay and time to wean of ventilator between patients with or without infections, (2) the associations between death and patients with or without infections, and (3) risk factors with occurrence of infections.; Results. Length of stay (p < 0.05) and time to wean (p = 0.03) were longer for patients with infections than for those without. The number of death increased in patients with pneumonias (p < 0.01) or line sepsis (p < 0.01).; Conclusions. Infections negatively impacted outcome, length of stay, and time to wean. |
