Mechanical ventilation and carbapenemase-producing klebsiella pneumoniae infection

Abstract

Mechanical ventilation constitutes an essential intervention in the management of patients with acute respiratory failure, although its use is associated with an increased risk of developing ventilator-associated pneumonia, a situation that is exacerbated in intensive care settings due to the threat posed by carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, given its high resistance to antibiotics and the associated high mortality. The objective of this study was to update knowledge on the interaction between mechanical ventilation and carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, evaluating the available preventive and therapeutic strategies to reduce the incidence of this complication. To this end, a systematic bibliographic review was conducted following the PRISMA strategy, encompassing articles published between 2017 and 2024 and applying rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria, which allowed for the selection of 18 relevant studies. The results show that the implementation of measures such as strict hygiene, rational use of antibiotics, and the application of disinfection protocols is effective in reducing the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia and improving survival rates in critically ill patients. In conclusion, the integration of these preventive and therapeutic strategies is essential for optimizing clinical outcomes and preventing the development and spread of bacterial resistance, providing a key tool in the fight against nosocomial infections in intensive care units.