The Potential of Probiotics in Reducing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Literature-Based Analysis

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a significant concern in intensive care units (ICUs), contributing to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Probiotics and synbiotics have been explored as potential preventive measures due to their ability to modulate gut microbiota, red...

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Published inMicroorganisms (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 4; p. 856
Main Authors Chen, Tao-An, Chuang, Ya-Ting, Pai, Szu-Chi, Zheng, Jin-Fu
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland MDPI AG 09.04.2025
MDPI
Subjects
Bacteria
Carbohydrates
Comparative analysis
Cost effectiveness
Health aspects
Heterogeneity
Hospitals
Immune response
intensive care unit
Intensive care units
Intestinal microflora
Lactobacilli
Microbiota
Microorganisms
Morbidity
Pathogens
Patients
Physiological aspects
Pneumonia
Prebiotics
Prevention
Probiotics
randomized controlled trials
Risk management
Risk reduction
synbiotics
Systematic Review
systematic reviews
Traumatic brain injury
Ventilator-associated pneumonia
Ventilators
China
cost effective
ventilator-associated pneumonia
intensive care unit
microbiota modulation
systematic reviews
randomized controlled trials
synbiotics
probiotics
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Summary:Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a significant concern in intensive care units (ICUs), contributing to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Probiotics and synbiotics have been explored as potential preventive measures due to their ability to modulate gut microbiota, reduce pathogenic colonization, enhance immune responses, and maintain intestinal barrier integrity. While some randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggest that specific strains, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium breve, may reduce VAP incidence, larger trials have not confirmed significant benefits. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses indicate a potential 28–38% relative risk reduction in VAP, but evidence quality remains low due to methodological limitations and study heterogeneity. Economic evaluations also question the cost effectiveness of probiotic use in ICU settings. Future research should focus on large-scale, multicenter RCTs to determine the optimal strains, dosages, and administration methods, along with standardized diagnostic criteria. Until stronger evidence emerges, probiotics should be considered an adjunctive rather than a primary VAP prevention strategy.
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ISSN:2076-2607
2076-2607
DOI:10.3390/microorganisms13040856