Mechanical Insufflation-exsufflation and Hypertonic Saline in Nosocomial Bacterial Respiratory Tract Infection

Multicenter, randomized open label clinical trial to evaluate IEM and HS as concomitant therapy for respiratory tract infection in patients under artificial ventilation in the ICU. Lung infection is a serious complication that may occur during hospital stay and may need artificial respiration or even develop during artificial ventilation for other causes. Current specific treatment consists of intravenous antibiotics. The current study evaluated whether aspiration and drainage of infected sputum helps curing this severe complication and whether nebulized HS has additional benefits, like loosening of secretions, eradicating bacteria or reducing inflammation.