Objective: To relate the experience of the staff at a health care facility specializing in the management of patients with aspiration lung abscess. Methods: Diagnostic aspects and therapeutic results of 252 consecutive cases of lung abscess seen in patients hospitalized between 1968 and 2004. Results: Of the 252 patients, 209 were male, and 43 were female.The mean age was 41.4 years, and 70.2% were alcoholic. Cough, expectoration, fever and overall poor health were seen over 97% of patients. Chest pain was reported by 64%, 30.2% presented digital clubbing, 82.5% had dental disease, 78.6% reported having lost consciousness at least once, and 67.5% presented foul smelling sputum. In 85.3% of the patients, the lung lesions were located either in the posterior segments of the upper lobe or in the superior segments of the lower lobe, and 96.8% were unilateral. Concomitant pleural empyema was seen in 24 (9.5%) of the patients. Mixed flora was identified in the bronchopulmonary or pleural secretions of 182 patients (72.2%). All patients were initially treated with antibiotics (mainly penicillin or clindamycin), and postural drainage was performed in 98.4% of cases. Surgical procedures were performed in 52 (20.6%) of the patients (drainage of empyema in 24, pulmonary resection in 22 and drainage of the abscess in 6). Cure was obtained in 242 patients (96.0%), and 10 (4.0%) died. Conclusion: Lung abscess occurred predominantly in male adults presenting dental disease and having a history of loss of consciousness (especially as a result of alcohol abuse). Most of the patients were treated clinically with antibiotics and postural drainage, although some surgical procedure was required in one-fifth of the study sample.

INTRODUÇÃO: A pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica é a infecção hospitalar mais comum nas unidades de terapia intensiva. OBJETIVO: Determinar o impacto da multirresistência dos microorganismos na morbidade e mortalidade dos pacientes com pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica. MÉTODO: Estudo de coorte retrospectivo. Em 40 meses consecutivos, 91 pacientes sob ventilação mecânica tiveram o diagnóstico de pneumonia. Os casos foram divididos entre causados por microorganismo multirresistente e causados por microorganismo sensível à antibioticoterapia. RESULTADOS: Pneumonia foi causada por microorganismo multirresistente em 75 casos (82,4%) e por microorganismo sensível 16 (17,6%) deles. As características clínicas e epidemiológicas não foram estatisticamente diferentes entre os grupos. O Staphylococcus aureus foi responsável por 27,5% dos episódios de pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica e a Pseudomonas aeruginosa por 17,6%. A doença foi de início recente em 33 pacientes (36,3%) e de início tardio em 58 deles (63,7%). Os tempos de ventilação mecânica, de internação em unidade de terapia intensiva e de internação hospitalar total não diferiram. O tratamento empírico foi considerado inadequado em 42 pacientes com pneumonia por microorganismo multirresistente (56%) e em 4 com pneumonia por microorganismo sensível (25%) (p = 0,02). Óbito ocorreu em 46 pacientes com a pneumonia por microorganismo multirresistente (61,3%), e em 4 daqueles com pneumonia por microorganismo sensível (25%) (p = 0,008). CONCLUSÃO: A multirresistência bacteriana não determinou nenhum impacto na morbidade, mas esteve associada à maior mortalidade.

This study was conducted to evaluate whether a pulmonary rehabilitation program (PRP) is independently associated with survival in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) undergoing lung transplant (LTx). This quasi-experimental study included 89 patients who underwent LTx due to IPF. Thirty-two completed all 36 sessions in a PRP while on the waiting list for LTx (PRP group), and 53 completed fewer than 36 sessions (controls). Survival after LTx was the main outcome; invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), length of stay (LOS) in intensive care unit (ICU) and in hospital were secondary outcomes. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models were used in survival analyses. Cox regression models showed that the PRP group had a reduced 54.0% (hazard ratio = 0.464, 95% confidence interval 0.222–0.970, p = 0.041) risk of death. A lower number of patients in the PRP group required IMV for more than 24 hours after LTx (9.0% vs. 41.6% p = 0.001). This group also spent a mean of 5 days less in the ICU (p = 0.004) and 5 days less in hospital (p = 0.046). In conclusion, PRP PRP completion halved the risk of cumulative mortality in patients with IPF undergoing unilateral LTx

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