Skip to content

Antifungal Prophylaxis in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patients

The Role of Oral Nystatin Prophylaxis in ICU Surgical/Trauma Patients

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01495039
Enrollment
99
Registered
2011-12-19
Start date
2008-11-30
Completion date
2010-02-28
Last updated
2017-04-05

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Fungal Prophylaxis, Candida Infection, Critical Illness, Surgery

Brief summary

Purpose. Oral chemoprophylaxis has been advocated to reduce the incidence of Candida colonization and infection. However, Candida prophylaxis in intensive care unit (ICU) is still a matter of debate. Methods. Randomized, single-center trial studying single drug (nystatin) versus control in surgical ICU patients. Multiple-site testing for fungi were performed in each patient at ICU admission (T0) and subsequently every 3 days (T3, T6, T9…). The primary evaluation criterion was the time course of colonization index (CI) during ICU stay.

Detailed description

Multiple-site testing for fungi included: tracheal secretions, pharingael swab, stomach contents, rectal swab, groin skin fold swab, urine, and blood. These tests will be performed in each patient at ICU admission (T0) and subsequently every 3 days throughout the ICU stay (T3, T6, T9…), as routine in our ICU.The specimens were placed in a dry medium and taken to the Mycology Laboratory. Group assignment was not indicated on specimens, the mycologists were therefore blinded to treatment allocation. Each specimen was directly microscopically examined and cultured on Sabouraud media.

Interventions

Systematic nystatin prophylaxis (2 x 106 U per day administered three times daily in the naso-gastric tube)

Sponsors

Policlinico Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* surgical patients admitted to our ICU older than 18 years of age and expected to require invasive mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h.

Exclusion criteria

* pregnancy, * proven Candida infection, * prophylactic or curative antifungal treatment within the last 2 months, * contraindication to oral drug administration, * known allergy to nystatin or its derivatives, and prior inclusion in the study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
course of the colonization index over time.AT 15 day from ICU admissionFungal colonization will be defined as either the presence of the same yeast on one or more of the six distinct body sites tested (blood sample excepted), or on two consecutive specimens from the same body site. Candida Colonisation index (C.I.)was defined as the ratio of the number of distinct body sites colonised with genotypically identical strains of Candida spp (blood excepted) over the total number of sites tested.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The secondary evaluation criterion will be the occurrence of a fungal infection during the ICU stayAt 15 day from ICU admissionFungal infection will be defined as either the presence of a candidemia or the identification of Candida spp. in a normally sterile body site associated with a severe sepsis with negative tests for bacteria or other causes.

Countries

Italy

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 24, 2026