Medicina intensiva
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It remains unknown why some intubated patients remain infection-free while others develop tracheobronchitis (VAT) or pneumonia (VAP). ⋯ Intubated patients complicated with pneumonia developed immune impairment in the pre-infection period, manifesting as a relatively lower expression of genes involved in the complement system that differed from patients developing tracheobronchitis. These findings suggest that a significant proportion of VAP episodes cannot be prevented, but might be treatable through pre-emptive therapy.