| Methods |
Duration: 28 days
Parallel design
Blinded assessment of outcomes: not met
Withdrawals described and were they acceptable: met |
| Participants |
Sample size = 413
SAPS (severity)
‐ Invasive quantitative = 44 ± 15
‐ Non‐invasive qualitative = 42 ± 14
Duration on mechanical ventilation before study (days)
‐ Invasive quantitative = 10.4 ± 10.2
‐ Non‐invasive qualitative = 10.7 ± 10.0
Previous use of antibiotic
‐ Invasive quantitative = 105/204 (51.5%)
‐ Non‐invasive qualitative = 103/109 (49.3%)
VAP suspected: new or progressive radiographic infiltrate plus 1 of the following: fever > 38.3 ºC, leukocytosis or purulent tracheal secretion |
| Interventions |
Invasive quantitative versus non‐invasive qualitative |
| Outcomes |
Mortality
‐ Invasive quantitative = 63/204 (30.9%)
‐ Non‐invasive qualitative = 81/209 (38.8%)
Antibiotic change not informed
Intensive care unit (ICU) stay (days)
‐ Invasive quantitative = 26.7 ± 23.9
‐ Non‐invasive qualitative = 25.1 ± 28.5
Duration of mechanical ventilation (days) not informed
Appropriateness of initial antibiotic choice
‐ Invasive quantitative = 203/204 (99%)
‐ Non‐invasive qualitative = 185/209 (88.5%) |
| Notes |
― |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Computer‐generated random number tables were used to assign patients in blocks of 8, with stratification according to treatment centre |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
As above |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Not reported |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
All patients were followed up |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Primary and secondary outcomes have been reported in the pre‐specified way and adequately reported |
| Other bias |
Low risk |
Not detected |
