Influence of clinical history on airways bacterial colonization in subjects with chronic tracheostomy

AbstractPatients with chronic tracheostomy are subject to significant bacterial colonization of the airways, a risk factor for respiratory infections.The aim of our study was to verify whether bacterial colonization and humoral immune response in the airways can be influenced by the disease which led to chronic respiratory failure and tracheostomy.Thirty-nine clinically stable outpatients with chronic tracheostomy were considered: 24 were affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (mean age 66 years, range 54–78, M/F 19/3; months since tracheostomy 23, range 3–62), 15 by restrictive lung disease (RLD) (12 thoracic wall deformities, three neuromuscular disease; age 57 years, range 41–72; M/F 3/12, months since tracheostomy 22, range 2–68). Recent antibiotic or corticosteroid treatments (