Patient Selection for Clinical Investigation of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: Criteria for Evaluating Diagnostic Techniques

Abstract

Nosocomial pneumonia in patients receiving ventilation is a common ICU occurrence. The exact frequency is not known because of the lack of specificity of the clinical diagnosis and existing standard diagnostic techniques. We have attempted to come to consensus in identifying a patient population with a clinical suspicion of nosocomial pneumonia and establishing a definition of pneumonia by which new diagnostic techniques can be compared.