Clinical manifestations of community-acquired pneumonia according to data of Samara region hospitals

Abstract

Aim. To describe the clinical manifestations of community-acquired pneumonia in patients of the Samara region. Methods. The retrospective clinical data analysis of 241 patients’ [130 (53.9%) males, 111 (46.1%) females, mean age 41.8±0.8 years] medical charts (case histories and out-patient cards) who were treated from 2007 to 2012, was performed. Specially developed individual registration cards were used for data collection. Results. Patients had the following concomitant diseases: hypertension - 10 (4.8%) patients, coronary heart disease - 10 (4.8%) patients, chronic non-obstructive bronchitis - 9 (4.3%) patients, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - 6 (2.9%) patients, HIV infection - 5 (2.4%) patients, malignancies - 5 (2.4%) patients, bronchial asthma - 3 (1.4%) patients. Patents called for medical aid at 7.8±1.3 day after the disease onset, 48 (26.7%) were using self-administered drugs before going to medical professional. The leading clinical signs were fever - in 97 (53.9%) patients and cough - in 89 (49.4%) patients. 36 (20.0%) patients reported a chest pain, 55 (30.5%) - shortness of breath, 71 (39.4%) - productive cough. Typical X-ray symptoms were present in all cases. Conclusion. The main clinical manifestations of community-acquired pneumonia were cough and fever, patients called for medical aid at the late stages of the disease and extensively used self-administered drugs.