Effects of Probiotics on Prevalence of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Multitrauma Patients Hospitalized in Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Probiotics may have a role in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) by inhibiting the natural flora from transforming into pathogenic flora. Objective: Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of probiotics on the prevalence of VAP in multitrauma patients hospitalized in a neurosurgical intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed between 2018 and 2019 with the participation of 150 patients hospitalized in theNeurosurgical ICU. After randomizing the participants (using the permutable blocking method) into the intervention (probiotic) and control (placebo) groups, the interventions were implemented. The participants received one capsule every 12 hours by gavage and their VAP symptoms were evaluated and recorded. Data were inputted into SPSS22 and then compared using the chi-square, independent t-test, Fisher's exact tests, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: The prevalence of VAP was significantly lower in the intervention group than the control group (p=0.001). A significant difference was observed between the two groups in pH (p=0.029) and WBC (p=0.042). The between-group difference was not significant in other variables. Conclusion: Probiotics are effective in reducing the prevalence of VAP in trauma patients hospitalized in ICU.