Preventive use of antibiotics improves the survival of patients in the intensive care unit.

When people are in intensive care, infection is a big threat. Researchers at the Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, now report that removing bacteria from the mouth, stomach and gut can help people overcome the risk of infection.

The process is known as selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) and it seems to reduce the problem of respiratory tract infections in those who need mechanical ventilation. In fact, SDD has been going on for decades but its effectiveness has not been evaluated till now. In this new trial, patients either received SDD or the standard treatment. Those who had SDD had a lower overall hospital death rate and a lower rate of death in the intensive care unit. Infection with antibiotic resistant bacteria was also less common in this group. The findings suggest that SDD may be a good way to improve the outcomes for those who are in intensive care.

Source

The Lancet 27th September 2003