Background: Nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) presents a serious and largely preventable threat to patient safety in U.S. hospitals. There is an emerging body of evidence on the effectiveness of oral care in preventing NV-HAP. Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a universal, standardized oral care protocol in preventing NV-HAP in the acute care setting. The primary outcome measure was NV-HAP incidence per 1,000 patient-days. Methods: This 12-month study was conducted on four units at an 800-bed tertiary medical center. Patients on one medical and one surgical unit were randomly assigned to receive enhanced oral care (intervention units); patients on another medical and another surgical unit received usual oral care (control units). Results: Total enrollment was 8,709. For the medical control versus intervention units, oral care frequency increased from a mean of 0.95 to 2.25 times per day, and there was a significant 85% reduction in the NV-HAP incidence rate. The odds of developing NV-HAP were 7.1 times higher on the medical control versus intervention units, a significant finding. For the surgical control versus intervention units, oral care frequency increased from a mean of 1.18 to 2.02 times per day, with a 56% reduction in the NV-HAP incidence rate. The odds of developing NV-HAP were 1.6 times higher on the surgical control versus intervention units, although this result did not reach significance. Conclusions: These findings add to the growing body of evidence that daily oral care as a means of primary source control may have a role in NV-HAP prevention. The implementation of effective strategies to ensure that such care is consistently provided warrants further study. It's not yet known what degree and frequency of oral care are required to effect favorable changes in the oral microbiome during acute care hospitalization.

worth, RN, MSN, CCRN, CCNS, and Devendra Indulal Mehta, MBBS, MSc(dist), MRCP Background Endotracheal intubation increases the risk for microaspiration of secretions around the tube cuff. Pepsin has been used as a biomarker for gastric aspiration. Amylase is a newer proposed biomarker for aspiration of oral contents. Objective To assess the presence of pepsin and amylase in paired oral-tracheal secretions of adult patients treated with mechanical ventilation. Methods In this descriptive study, paired samples of oral and tracheal secretions were obtained from adult patients at baseline and again within 4 hours when a need for endotracheal suctioning was assessed. Assays of pepsin and amylase were processed in a specialty diagnostic laboratory. Results The sample consisted of 10 men and 3 women with a median age of 56 years. The majority were intubated with a subglottic suction endotracheal tube (9 patients, 69%), receiving synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (10 patients; 77%), and receiving enteral feedings (11 patients; 85%) through a tube distally placed in the stomach (8 patients; 67%). Pepsin was present in oral secretions of 9 patients (69%), and in tracheal specimens of 7 patients (54%) at one or both sampling times. Amylase was detected in all patients' oral secretions and in tracheal secretions of 5 patients (38%) at one or both sampling times. Conclusions Many patients had pepsin, amylase, or both in tracheal aspirates. Pepsin was more commonly detected than was amylase. Although the relationship of this finding to longterm outcomes was not assessed, findings indicate that microaspiration of oral and gastric secretions occurs frequently.

Aims To evaluate a deep oropharyngeal suction intervention (NO‐ASPIRATE) in intubated patients on microaspiration, ventilator‐associated events and clinical outcomes. Design Prospective, two‐group, single‐blind, randomized clinical trial. Methods The study was conducted between 2014 ‐ 2017 in 513 participants enroled within 24 hr of intubation and randomized into NO‐ASPIRATE or usual care groups. Standard oral care was provided to all participants every 4 hr and deep oropharyngeal suctioning was added to the NO‐ASPIRATE group. Oral and tracheal specimens were obtained to quantify α‐amylase as an aspiration biomarker. Results Data were analysed for 410 study completers enrolled at least 36 hr: NO‐ASPIRATE (N = 206) and usual care (N = 204). Percent of tracheal specimens positive for α‐amylase, mean tracheal α‐amylase levels over time and ventilator‐associated events were not different between groups. The NO‐ASPIRATE group had a shorter hospital length of stay and a subgroup with moderate aspiration at baseline had significantly lower α‐amylase levels across time. Conclusion Hospital length of stay was shorter in the NO‐ASPIRATE group and a subgroup of intervention participants had lower α‐amylase across time. Delivery of standardized oral care to all participants may have been an intervention itself and possibly associated with the lack of significant findings for most outcomes. Impact This trial compared usual care to oral care with a deep suctioning intervention on microaspiration and ventilator‐associated events, as this has not been systematically studied. Further research on the usefulness of α‐amylase as an aspiration biomarker and the role of oral suctioning, especially for certain populations, is indicated. Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02284178.