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. 1973 Nov;52(11):2935–2940. doi: 10.1172/JCI107490

Prevention of Gram-Negative Bacillary Pneumonia Using Aerosol Polymyxin as Prophylaxis. I. EFFECT ON THE COLONIZATION PATTERN OF THE UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT OF SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS

Sheldon Greenfield 1,2,3, Daniel Teres 1,2,3, Leonard S Bushnell 1,2,3, John Hedley-Whyte 1,2,3, David S Feingold 1,2,3
PMCID: PMC302562  PMID: 4356004

Abstract

A prospective study used polymyxin B by aerosol to reduce colonization of the upper respiratory tract with nosocomial gram-negative bacilli. 58 high-risk patients from the Respiratory-Surgical Intensive Care Unit entered the trial. 33 were randomly selected to receive 2.5 mg/kg/day of polymyxin B by hand atomizer into the pharynx, and tracheal tube if present. 17 of 25 control patients became colonized with gram-negative bacilli as compared with 7 of 33 polymyxin-treated patients (p < 0.01). Control patients became colonized with a total of 33 gram-negative bacilli: 3 were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 21 were species of Enterobacteriaceae. The polymyxin-treated patients became colonized with a total of 11 gram-negative bacilli: no P. aeruginosa and only 3 species of Enterobacteriaceae were recovered. Colonization increased with duration in Respiratory-Surgical Intensive Care Unit and with time of required controlled ventilation. Polymyxin most effectively prevented the increase in colonization in treated patients who stayed in the Respiratory-Surgical Intensive Care Unit for longer than 1 wk and who required controlled ventilation for at least 72 h.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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