Ventilator-Associated Tracheobronchitis in a Mixed Surgical and Medical ICU Population

VAT occurs less commonly than VAP but at a similar incidence in medical and surgical ICU patients. VAT frequently progressed to VAP, and patients diagnosed with VAT had similar outcomes to those diagnosed with VAP, suggesting that antimicrobial therapy is appropriate for VAT. VAT is also frequently caused by MDR organisms, and this should be taken into account when choosing antimicrobial therapy.