Intubated patients developing tracheobronchitis or pneumonia have distinctive complement system gene expression signatures in the pre-infection period: a pilot study.

Introduction: It remains unknown why some intubated patients remain infection-free while others develop tracheobronchitis (VAT) or pneumonia (VAP).

Objective: To identify and compare VAP/VAT gene expression "signatures" using genome-wide oligonucleotide microarrays.

Material And Methods: A prospective translational study of gene expression profiles of VAP and VAT groups was carried out, establishing comparisons in both pre-infection and infection phases.