Effect of N-acetyl Cysteine and Probiotic on Oropharyngeal Microbial Flora in Mechanically-ventilated Patients

This study assessed the effect of four doses of N-acetylcysteine %20 and probiotics on the variety of the oropharyngeal microbial flora of intubated ICU patients.  

 In this study, 60 ICU patients under mechanical ventilation were randomly assigned to three groups and treated with N-acetylcysteine %20 mouth rinse, probiotic, or routine care (chlorhexidine). A culture sample was obtained from the oropharyngeal zone before and 24 hours after mouth rinse.

 The colonized bacterial count of the sample was not significantly different before intervention among the N-acetylcysteine, probiotic, and routine care groups (P>0.05). 

The probiotics and N-acetylcysteine increased the variety of bacterial groups in the oropharyngeal zone. These florae can compete for nutritional items and growth conditions with pathogenic bacteria.