Figure 1.

Patterns of ventilator-associated events (VAE). Ventilator-associated conditions (VAC): ≥2 calendar days of stable or decreasing daily minimum PEEP or FiO₂ followed by rise in PEEP ≥3cmH₂O or rise in FiO₂ ≥20 points sustained for ≥2 days. Infection-related ventilator-associated complications (IVAC): VAC plus: temp <36 °C or >38 °C or WBC ≤4 or ≥12×103 cells/mm³ AND ≥1 new antibiotics continued for ≥4 days, within 2 days of VAC onset excluding first 2 days on the ventilator. Possible or probable pneumonia: IVAC plus: sputum/BAL with ≥25 neutrophils/field and ≤10 epithelial cells/field and/or positive respiratory culture, within 2 days of VAC onset excluding first 2 days on the ventilator. Ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis (VAT): purulent sputum/BAL with positive respiratory culture with or without clinical and biological signs of sepsis.