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Oral Health, Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, and Intracranial Pressure in Intubated Patients in a Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit.

Prendergast, Virginia LU ; Rahm Hallberg, Ingalill LU ; Jahnke, Heidi ; Kleiman, Cindy and Hagell, Peter LU (2009) In American Journal of Critical Care 18(4). p.368-376
Abstract
Background Although oral health affects systemic health, studies of oral health during intubation among critically ill neuroscience patients are lacking. Furthermore, the effect of oral care on intracranial pressure among critically ill patients in a neuroscience intensive care unit is unknown. Objectives To describe changes in oral health and development of ventilator-associated pneumonia during intubation among patients in a neuroscience intensive care unit and to assess the influence of oral care on intracranial pressure. Methods Data on 45 consecutive intubated patients admitted to a neuroscience intensive care unit during 1 year were collected by using oral cultures and the Oral Assessment Guide throughout intubation and 48 hours... (More)
Background Although oral health affects systemic health, studies of oral health during intubation among critically ill neuroscience patients are lacking. Furthermore, the effect of oral care on intracranial pressure among critically ill patients in a neuroscience intensive care unit is unknown. Objectives To describe changes in oral health and development of ventilator-associated pneumonia during intubation among patients in a neuroscience intensive care unit and to assess the influence of oral care on intracranial pressure. Methods Data on 45 consecutive intubated patients admitted to a neuroscience intensive care unit during 1 year were collected by using oral cultures and the Oral Assessment Guide throughout intubation and 48 hours after extubation. Occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia and intracranial pressures associated with oral care were recorded. Results Oral health, assessed by the Oral Assessment Guide, deteriorated significantly during intubation and improved to almost baseline levels 48 hours after extubation. During intubation, occurrence of oral gram-negative bacteria and yeast increased. The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia was 24% among patients enrolled for 4 to 10 days. During or after 879 instances of oral care, overall intracranial pressure did not increase. Among 30 instances in which intracranial pressure was greater than 20 mm Hg before oral care, pressure decreased during and 30 minutes after the procedure (P < .001). Conclusions Intubation may contribute to worsening of oral health among patients in neuroscience intensive care units. Execution of oral care does not seem to affect intracranial pressure adversely. Oral care should be explored further to promote good oral and systemic health in patients in neuroscience intensive care units and to determine its effect on ventilator-associated pneumonia. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
American Journal of Critical Care
volume
18
issue
4
pages
368 - 376
publisher
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
external identifiers
  • wos:000267614900012
  • pmid:19556415
  • scopus:70349580383
  • pmid:19556415
ISSN
1062-3264
DOI
10.4037/ajcc2009621
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: The Vårdal Institute (016540000), Division of Nursing (Closed 2012) (013065000)
id
32a30a3d-181d-4d02-be82-da7729a78281 (old id 1433870)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19556415?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:20:51
date last changed
2022-03-15 18:52:47
@article{32a30a3d-181d-4d02-be82-da7729a78281,
  abstract     = {{Background Although oral health affects systemic health, studies of oral health during intubation among critically ill neuroscience patients are lacking. Furthermore, the effect of oral care on intracranial pressure among critically ill patients in a neuroscience intensive care unit is unknown. Objectives To describe changes in oral health and development of ventilator-associated pneumonia during intubation among patients in a neuroscience intensive care unit and to assess the influence of oral care on intracranial pressure. Methods Data on 45 consecutive intubated patients admitted to a neuroscience intensive care unit during 1 year were collected by using oral cultures and the Oral Assessment Guide throughout intubation and 48 hours after extubation. Occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia and intracranial pressures associated with oral care were recorded. Results Oral health, assessed by the Oral Assessment Guide, deteriorated significantly during intubation and improved to almost baseline levels 48 hours after extubation. During intubation, occurrence of oral gram-negative bacteria and yeast increased. The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia was 24% among patients enrolled for 4 to 10 days. During or after 879 instances of oral care, overall intracranial pressure did not increase. Among 30 instances in which intracranial pressure was greater than 20 mm Hg before oral care, pressure decreased during and 30 minutes after the procedure (P &lt; .001). Conclusions Intubation may contribute to worsening of oral health among patients in neuroscience intensive care units. Execution of oral care does not seem to affect intracranial pressure adversely. Oral care should be explored further to promote good oral and systemic health in patients in neuroscience intensive care units and to determine its effect on ventilator-associated pneumonia.}},
  author       = {{Prendergast, Virginia and Rahm Hallberg, Ingalill and Jahnke, Heidi and Kleiman, Cindy and Hagell, Peter}},
  issn         = {{1062-3264}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{368--376}},
  publisher    = {{American Association of Critical-Care Nurses}},
  series       = {{American Journal of Critical Care}},
  title        = {{Oral Health, Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, and Intracranial Pressure in Intubated Patients in a Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2009621}},
  doi          = {{10.4037/ajcc2009621}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}