Cost evaluation of ventilator-associated pneumonia in adult patients in a general hospital in Chile

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is an adverse event that increases morbidity, mortality and costs due to a prolonged stay and requirement of microbiological studies and antimicrobial therapy. There is not recent data of VAP costs in Chile. Aim: To evaluate additional costs in adult patients with VAP compared to controls in a general hospital in the Metropolitan Area. Patients and Methods: Use of the PAHO paired case control protocol for cost evaluation associated to nosocomial infections and estimation of cost in excess per VAP event Length of stay (LOS) in excess, antimicrobial consumption in daily-defined doses (DDD), and number of microbiological studies were compared between both groups. Results: From 2012 to 2015, 18 patients with VAP events were identified with their respective controls. LOS exceeded 6.1 days on average among patients with VAP respect to controls (p < 0.05). DDD was higher among patients with VAP (difference 11.7 DDD) as well as number of cultures (3.2 higher on average, p < 0.05). Cost in excess per VAP event reached 4,475 USD. Conclusions: In our Centre, VAP events are associated to a higher LOS, antimicrobial consumption and microbiological studies.