Clinical Outcome Of Community-acquired Pneumonia Research Articles

Effect of positive microbiological testing on antibiotic de-escalation and outcomes in community-acquired pneumonia: a propensity score analysis

ObjectivesThe usefulness of routine microbiological testing for rationalising antibiotic use in hospitalised patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) continues to be a subject of debate. We aim to determine the effect of positive microbiological testing on antimicrobial de-escalation and clinical outcomes in CAP. MethodsA retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected cohort of non-immunosuppressed adults hospitalised with CAP was performed. The primary study outcome was antimicrobial de-escalation. Secondary outcomes included 30-day case-fatality rate, adverse events, and CAP recurrence. Adjustment for confounders was performed by inverse probability weighting propensity score, logistic regression, and cause-specific Cox model. ResultsOf 3677 patients with CAP, 1924 (52.3%) had any positive microbiological test. Antimicrobial de-escalation was performed in 648/1924 (33.7%) of patients with positive microbiological testing and in 179/1753 (10.2%) of those with non-positive results. When propensity score was entered into the multivariate analysis, positive microbiological testing (adjusted OR (AOR)], 2.59; 1.96–3.41) and clinical stability at day 3 (AOR 1.87; 1.45–2.10) were two of the main factors independently associated with antimicrobial de-escalation. After applying an adjusted cause-specific Cox model, antimicrobial de-escalation was not associated with a higher 30-day case-fatality rate (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), 0.44 (95% CI, 0.14–1.43)), higher frequency of adverse events (AHR, 0.77 (95% CI, 0.53–1.12)), or CAP recurrence (AHR, 0.65 (95% CI, 0.35–1.14)). DiscussionAntimicrobial de-escalation was more often performed in hospitalised patients with CAP who had positive microbiological tests than in those with non-positive results, and it did not adversely affect relevant clinical outcomes.

Risk factor-based analysis of community-acquired pneumonia, healthcare-associated pneumonia and hospital-acquired pneumonia: Microbiological distribution, antibiotic resistance, and clinical outcomes

BackgroundHealthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) lies in the intersection of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Although HCAP is excluded from the revised HAP guideline, reassessment for HCAP is needed considering its heterogeneous characteristics.MethodsThe microbiological distribution, antibiotic resistance, and clinical outcomes in CAP, HCAP, and HAP were studied retrospectively. The susceptibility to standard CAP regimens (β-lactams plus macrolide or fluoroquinolone monotherapy) and rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) infections were evaluated in the CAP group and HCAP subgroups.ResultsIn total, 933 cases were included (CAP, n = 557; HCAP, n = 264; HAP, n = 112). In the CAP and HCAP cases, Streptococcus pneumoniae (7.4% vs. 5.7%) and P. aeruginosa (9.2% vs. 18.6%) were the most common gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-resistant, 2.7%; methicillin-susceptible, 2.4%) and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (20.5%) were the most common Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens in the HAP group, respectively. Higher susceptibility to levofloxacin was observed in CAP and HCAP isolates than that to β-lactam agents. However, levofloxacin non-susceptibility was significantly higher in long-term care facility (LTCF)-onset HCAP compared to community-onset HCAP (43.6% vs. 22.7%, P = 0.014).ConclusionHCAP showed higher rates of P. aeruginosa and MRSA infections than CAP. Empirical antipseudomonal therapy should be considered in the treatment of HCAP. Prior isolation of P. aeruginosa was the most important risk factor for P. aeruginosa infection.

The association of anemia with the clinical outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia in children.

Anemia is associated with severe outcomes in adult community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), but few studies investigated its association with pediatric CAP. Hence, we tried to delineate the association of anemia with the clinical outcomes of CAP in children. This retrospective cohort study was conducted from 2010 to 2019 in a medical center. Inpatients aged 6 months to 17 years who were diagnosed with CAP and without major underlying diseases were included. The subjects' clinical data within 24 h of admission and clinical outcomes were collected. We accessed the rates of adverse outcomes and the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of these outcomes between anemic and nonanemic patients, as well as among patients with different types of anemia. In this study of 3601 patients, the prevalence of anemia was 11.6% (418/3601). Anemic patients had higher rates of intensive care (16.8% vs. 3.6%; p < 0.001), endotracheal intubation (11.0% vs. 1.3%; p < 0.001), and empyema (8.6% vs. 0.6%; p < 0.001) than nonanemic patients. In addition, anemia was independently associated with intensive care (adjusted OR, 3.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.03-4.42), endotracheal intubation (adjusted OR, 3.79; 95% CI, 2.17-6.63), and empyema (adjusted OR, 4.72; 95% CI, 2.30-9.69). Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) and normocytic anemia were associated with these adverse outcomes but not with anemia due to thalassemia trait. Anemia is a biomarker associated with poor outcomes in pediatric CAP, and patients with IDA or normocytic anemia should be carefully monitored and managed since they may have higher disease severity.

Clinical Outcomes for Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia are Worse in Those with a History of Stroke

Background: Stroke is one of the most prevalent neurological diseases in the United States. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of infections in survivors of stroke. There is limited research evaluating the clinical outcomes of CAP in patients with stroke. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with CAP and a history of stroke. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the University of Louisville Pneumonia Study database. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of a history of stroke. Clinical outcomes were length of stay, time to clinical stability, and one-year mortality, which were assessed via stratified Cox proportional hazards regression. Differences in risk of clinical outcomes were reported as adjusted hazard ratios. Results: We found no significant differences in time to clinical stability between the two groups. The median length of stay for patients with a history of stroke hospitalized with CAP was six days and for patients without stroke was five days (P=0.01). We observed a 16% higher risk of mortality in stroke patients with CAP than in the non-stroke population (P=0.001). Conclusions: This study indicates that hospitalized patients with CAP have a longer hospital stay and higher mortality than those without stroke.

Neutrophil count, lymphocyte count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in relation to response to adjunctive dexamethasone treatment in community-acquired pneumonia

BackgroundIt is hypothesised that community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients with more severe disease or inflammation might benefit more from adjunctive corticosteroid treatment. Neutrophil count, lymphocyte count and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been associated with inflammation and disease severity in CAP. We investigated the interaction between these parameters and adjunctive dexamethasone effects on clinical outcomes in CAP. MethodsWe conducted a post hoc analysis of the randomised placebo-controlled Santeon-CAP trial (n = 401), which showed a positive effect of adjunctive oral dexamethasone on length of stay (LOS) in CAP patients. White blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count, NLR (highest tertile vs. lowest two tertiles) and lymphocyte count (lowest tertile vs. highest two tertiles) were examined as potential effect modifiers of treatment with dexamethasone on LOS (primary outcome) and ICU-admission, 30-day mortality and hospital readmission. ResultsWBC differential counts were available for 354 patients. The effect of dexamethasone on LOS was more pronounced in high WBC count, high neutrophil count or high NLR subgroups (difference in median LOS of 2 days versus zero days in the reference subgroups, p for interaction < 0.05). There was no effect modification for the other outcomes. Patients with low WBC and low neutrophil counts did not benefit from dexamethasone, while hospital readmission rate was higher in those treated with dexamethasone (6% vs. 11%). ConclusionsWBC count and/or neutrophil might be easily available biomarkers to guide selection of CAP patients who are more likely to benefit from adjunctive dexamethasone treatment. Future prospective trials are needed to confirm this predictive potential.

Rectal bacteriome and virome signatures and clinical outcomes in community-acquired pneumonia: An exploratory study.

Background Bacterial intestinal communities interact with the immune system and may contribute to protection against community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Intestinal viruses are closely integrated with these bacterial communities, yet the composition and clinical significance of these communities in CAP patients are unknown. The aims of this exploratory study were to characterise the composition of the rectal bacteriome and virome at hospital admission for CAP, and to determine if microbiota signatures correlate with clinical outcomes.Methods We performed a prospective observational cohort study in CAP patients, admitted to a university or community hospital in the Netherlands between October 2016 and July 2018, and controls. Rectal bacteriome and virome composition were characterised using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing and virus discovery next-generation sequencing, respectively. Unsupervised multi-omics factor analysis was used to assess the co-variation of bacterial and viral communities, which served as primary predictor. The clinical outcomes of interest were the time to clinical stability and the length of hospital stay.Findings 64 patients and 38 controls were analysed. Rectal bacterial alpha (p = 0•0015) and beta diversity (r2=0•023, p = 0•004) of CAP patients differed from controls. Bacterial and viral microbiota signatures correlated with the time to clinical stability (hazard ratio 0•43, 95% confidence interval 0•20–0•93, p = 0•032) and the length of hospital stay (hazard ratio 0•37, 95% confidence interval 0•17–0•81, p = 0•012), although only the latter remained significant following p-value adjustment for examining multiple candidate cut-points (p = 0•12 and p = 0•046, respectively).Interpretation This exploratory study provides preliminary evidence that intestinal bacteriome and virome signatures could be linked with clinical outcomes in CAP. Such exploratory data, when validated in independent cohorts, could inform the development of a microbiota-based diagnostic panel used to predict clinical outcomes in CAP.Funding Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research and Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development.

Sex-specific differences in plasma levels of FXII, HK, and FXIIa-C1-esterase inhibitor complexes in community-acquired pneumonia.

Sex-dependent differences in immunity and coagulation play an active role in the outcome of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Contact phase proteins act at the crossroads between inflammation and coagulation thus representing a point of convergence in host defense against infection. Here, we measured the levels of factor XII (FXII), FXIIa-C1 esterase inhibitor (C1INH) complexes, and high-molecular-weight kininogen (HK) in plasma of patients with CAP and correlated them to clinical disease severity. Levels of FXIIa-C1INH/albumin ratio were elevated, irrespective of sex, in plasma of patients with CAP (n = 139) as compared with age-matched donors (n = 58). No simultaneous decrease in FXII levels, indicating its consumption, was observed. Stratification by sex revealed augmented FXII levels in plasma of women with CAP as compared with sex-matched donors yet no apparent differences in men. This sex-specific effect was, however, attributable to lower FXII levels in female donors relative to men donors. Plasma estradiol levels mirrored those for FXII. Levels of HK/albumin ratio were decreased in CAP plasma as compared with donors, however, after stratification by sex, this difference was only observed in women and was related to higher HK/albumin values in female donors as opposed to male donors. Finally, strong negative correlation between plasma levels of HK/albumin ratio and CAP severity, as assessed by CRB65 score, in males and females was observed. Our study identifies sex-dependent differences in plasma levels of the contact phase proteins in elderly subjects that may contribute to specific clinical outcomes in CAP between men and women.

Prognostic value of serial neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio measurements in hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia.

IntroductionSeveral serum inflammatory markers are associated with poor clinical outcomes in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). However, the prognosis and early treatment response in hospitalized CAP patients based on serial neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) measurement has never been investigated.MethodsWe performed a retrospective observational study for 175 consecutive patients hospitalized with CAP between February 2016 and February 2018. NLR, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin levels were measured on admission day (D1) and on hospital day 4 (D4). The Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) was also assessed on admission. The primary endpoint was all-cause death within 30 days after admission. The secondary endpoint was early treatment response such as intensive care unit (ICU) admission during hospitalization and clinical unstability on day 4.ResultsThe 30-day mortality rate was 9.7%. In multivariate analysis, NLR D4 (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.04–1.18; P = 0.003) and its incremental change (NLR D4/D1 >1) (OR: 7.10; 95% CI: 2.19–23.06; P = 0.001) were significant predictors of 30-day mortality. NLR D4 and its incremental change were significant predictors of ICU admission and clinical unstability on day 4 in multivariate analyses. Adding of incremental NLR change significantly improved the prognostic ability of the PSI. The additive value of incremental NLR change for the prognostic ability of the PSI was larger than that of incremental CRP change.ConclusionSerial NLR measurement represents useful laboratory tool to predict the prognosis and early treatment response of hospitalized CAP patients.

Early procalcitonin determination in the emergency department and clinical outcome of community-acquired pneumonia in old and oldest old patients

We evaluated patients admitted through our ED for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) to assess the relevance of an early procalcitonin (PCT) determination on patient's outcomes. MethodsWe reviewed all patients admitted for CAP in a 10 years period (2008-2017). Patients were stratified according to age groups: (18-65 years; 65–84 years; and ≥85 years), CURB-65 score, need for ventilation, Sepsis-3 criteria at admission, enrollment period, blood culture in ED. In-hospital mortality rate and length of hospital stay (LOS) were compared between patients that had an early PCT determination in ED vs. patients admitted without. ResultsOur study cohort consisted of 4056 CAP patients, age 76 [IQ range 64-84] years. We enrolled 1039 patients <65 years old, 2015 aged 65-84 years, and 1002 aged ≥85 years. Overall, the early PCT determination in ED was not associated to a reduced LOS (p=0.630), nor to a reduced mortality rate (p=0.134). However, in patients ≥ 85 years, the PCT determination in ED was associated with lower mortality in those with CURB-65 ≥ 2, and Charlson's score ≥ 2 (p=0.033 and p=0.002, respectively). ConclusionsAlthough an early PCT assessment in ED was not associated with better outcomes in term of LOS and mortality in patients with CAP, our findings suggest that it might be associated with reduced mortality in patients ≥ 85 years with severe CAP or high comorbidity.

Disease severity and clinical outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia caused by non-influenza respiratory viruses in adults: a multicentre prospective registry study from the CAP-China Network.

Although broad knowledge of influenza viral pneumonia has been established, the significance of non-influenza respiratory viruses in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and their impact on clinical outcomes remains unclear, especially in the non-immunocompromised adult population.Hospitalised immunocompetent patients with CAP were prospectively recruited from 34 hospitals in mainland China. Respiratory viruses were detected by molecular methods. Comparisons were conducted between influenza and non-influenza viral infection groups.In total, 915 out of 2336 adult patients with viral infection were enrolled in the analysis, with influenza virus (28.4%) the most frequently detected virus, followed by respiratory syncytial virus (3.6%), adenovirus (3.3%), human coronavirus (3.0%), parainfluenza virus (2.2%), human rhinovirus (1.8%) and human metapneumovirus (1.5%). Non-influenza viral infections accounted for 27.4% of viral pneumonia. Consolidation was more frequently observed in patients with adenovirus infection. The occurrence of complications such as sepsis (40.1% versus 39.6%; p=0.890) and hypoxaemia (40.1% versus 37.2%; p=0.449) during hospitalisation in the influenza viral infection group did not differ from that of the non-influenza viral infection group. Compared with influenza virus infection, the multivariable adjusted odds ratios of CURB-65 (confusion, urea >7 mmol·L-1, respiratory rate ≥30 breaths·min-1, blood pressure <90 mmHg (systolic) or ≤60 mmHg (diastolic), age ≥65 years) ≥3, arterial oxygen tension/inspiratory oxygen fraction <200 mmHg, and occurrence of sepsis and hypoxaemia for non-influenza respiratory virus infection were 0.87 (95% CI 0.26-2.84), 0.72 (95% CI 0.26-1.98), 1.00 (95% CI 0.63-1.58) and 1.05 (95% CI 0.66-1.65), respectively. The hazard ratio of 90-day mortality was 0.51 (95% CI 0.13-1.91).The high incidence of complications in non-influenza viral pneumonia and similar impact of non-influenza respiratory viruses relative to influenza virus on disease severity and outcomes suggest more attention should be given to CAP caused by non-influenza respiratory viruses.

Uso de corticoides sistémicos en pacientes adultos hospitalizados por neumonía adquirida en la comunidad

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common and serious infectious disease accompanied with high morbidity and mortality. Corticosteroids (CS) therapy has been proposed for community-acquired pneumonia hospitalized adult patients. However, the effectiveness of adjunctive corticosteroids on relevant clinical outcomes of CAP remains inconsistent. Objectives: We assessed the efficacy and safety of adjunctive corticosteroids therapy in severe CAP patients. Methods: Five databases: PubMed, Scielo, Epistemonikos, Lilacs and Cochrane Library were searched for related studies published up to June, 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of corticosteroids in hospitalized adults with severe CAP were included. Results: We assessed ten systematic reviews and fifteen primary studies enrolling severe CAP hospitalized patients. Corticosteroids therapy significantly reduced all-cause mortality (risk ratio (RR): 0.58; 95%CI: 0.40 to 0.84), early clinical failure (RR: 0.32; 95%CI: 0.15 to 0.7), risk of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (RR: 0.23; 95%CI: 0.07 to 0.80), need for mechanical ventilation (RR: 0.40; 95%CI: 0.20 to 0.77) and decreased hospital length of stay (mean difference: −2.91 days; 95%CI: −4.92 to −0.89). Corticosteroids therapy increased hyperglycemia risk (RR: 1.72; 95%CI: 1.38 to 2.14) but not gastrointestinal hemorrhage frequency (RR: 0.91; 95%CI: 0.40 to 2.05). Conclusions: Adjuvant therapy with systemic corticosteroids decreases mortality, risk of hospital complications and shortens hospital length of stay in patients with severe CAP. These results should be confirmed by adequately powered studies in the future.

Clinical outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Clinical outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia in patients with diabetes mellitus.

HDL-c levels predict the presence of pleural effusion and the clinical outcome of community-acquired pneumonia.

ObjectivesTo investigate if HDL cholesterol (HDL-c) could be a biomarker of the degree of severity according to prognostic prediction scores in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) or the development of clinical complications such as pleural effusion.MethodsWe included in a retrospective study 107 patients admitted to the hospital that fulfilled diagnostic criteria for CAP between the 30th October 2011 and 1st September 2012. HDL-c levels at admission, CAP prognosis scores (PSI and CURB65) and clinical outcomes were recorded for the study.ResultsBasal HDL-c levels were not statistically different according to prognostics scores neither PSI nor CURB-65. Significantly lower levels of HDL-c were also associated to the development of septic shock and admission to the intensive care unit. HDL-c were inversely correlated with acute phase reactants CRP (r = −0.585, P < 0.001), ESR (r = −0.477, P < 0.001), and leukocytes cell count (r = −0.254, P < 0.009). Patients with pleural effusion showed significant lower levels of HDL-c [28.9 (15.5) mg/dl vs. 44.6 (21.1) mg/dl]; P = 0.007. HDL-c is a good predictor of the presence of pleural effusion in multivariate analyses and using ROC analyses [AUC = 0.712 (0.591–0.834), P = 0.006]. HDL-c levels of 10 mg/dl showed a sensitivity of 97.6 % and a specificity of 82.4 % for the presence of pleural effusion.ConclusionMonitoring HDL-c in CAP is an useful serum marker of acute phase response, clinical outcome and the presence of pleural effusion.

Community-Acquired Pneumonia Hospitalization among Children with Neurologic Disorders

ObjectiveTo describe and compare the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and etiology of pneumonia among children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) with neurologic disorders, non-neurologic underlying conditions, and no underlying conditions.Study designChildren <18 years old hospitalized with clinical and radiographic CAP were enrolled at 3 US children's hospitals. Neurologic disorders included cerebral palsy, developmental delay, Down syndrome, epilepsy, non-Down syndrome chromosomal abnormalities, and spinal cord abnormalities. We compared the epidemiology, etiology, and clinical outcomes of CAP in children with neurologic disorders with those with non-neurologic underlying conditions, and those with no underlying conditions using bivariate, age-stratified, and multivariate logistic regression analyses.ResultsFrom January 2010-June 2012, 2358 children with radiographically confirmed CAP were enrolled; 280 (11.9%) had a neurologic disorder (52.1% of these individuals also had non-neurologic underlying conditions), 934 (39.6%) had non-neurologic underlying conditions only, and 1144 (48.5%) had no underlying conditions. Children with neurologic disorders were older and more likely to require intensive care unit (ICU) admission than children with non-neurologic underlying conditions and children with no underlying conditions; similar proportions were mechanically ventilated. In age-stratified analysis, children with neurologic disorders were less likely to have a pathogen detected than children with non-neurologic underlying conditions. In multivariate analysis, having a neurologic disorder was associated with ICU admission for children ≥2 years of age.ConclusionsChildren with neurologic disorders hospitalized with CAP were less likely to have a pathogen detected and more likely to be admitted to the ICU than children without neurologic disorders.

Relationship between serum vitamin D concentrations and clinical outcome of community-acquired pneumonia.

Hospitalised patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in a tertiary referral hospital in South Korea. To determine the burden of vitamin D deficiency in patients hospitalised with CAP and to investigate whether vitamin D deficiency affected clinical outcomes. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels were measured at admission; vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25(OH)D <20 ng/ml. Data were retrospectively analysed for incidence of vitamin D deficiency. The primary outcome was the relationship between serum vitamin D concentration and 28-day all-cause mortality in CAP. The mean age was 68.1 years (standard deviation [SD] ± 14.6), and the mean pneumonia severity index was 98.0 (± SD 28.6). Of the 797 patients (males 66.0%), 641 (80.4%) had vitamin D deficiency. Overall mean serum 25(OH)D level was 14.0 ± 7.4 ng/ml. The 28-day all-cause mortality rate in vitamin D-deficient patients was significantly higher than in non-deficient patients (8.3% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.01), and serum vitamin D level was negatively associated with risk of 28-day mortality in CAP after adjustment for pneumonia severity index and serum lactate levels (OR 0.94, 95%CI 0.90-0.99, P < 0.01). The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was ~80% in patients hospitalised with CAP. Vitamin D deficiency was also a significant predictor of increased 28-day all-cause mortality.

Utility of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and white blood cells alone and in combination for the prediction of clinical outcomes in community-acquired pneumonia.

The added value of biomarkers, such as procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cells (WBC), as adjuncts to clinical risk scores for predicting the outcome of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is in question. We investigated the prognostic accuracy of initial and follow-up levels of inflammatory biomarkers in predicting death and adverse clinical outcomes in a large and well-defined cohort of CAP patients. We measured PCT, CRP and WBC on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 and followed the patients over 30 days. We applied multivariate regression models and area under the curve (AUC) to investigate associations between these biomarkers, the clinical risk score CURB-65, and clinical outcomes [i.e., death and intensive care unit (ICU) admission]. Of 925 patients with CAP, 50 patients died and 118 patients had an adverse clinical outcome. None of the initial biomarker levels significantly improved the CURB-65 score for mortality prediction. Follow-up biomarker levels showed significant independent association with mortality at days 3, 5, and 7 and with improvements in AUC. Initial PCT and CRP levels were independent prognostic predictors of adverse clinical outcome, and levels of all biomarkers during the course of disease provided additional prognostic information. This study provides robust insights into the added prognostic value of inflammatory markers in CAP. Procalcitonin, CRP, and to a lesser degree WBC provided some prognostic information on CAP outcomes, particularly when considering their kinetics at days 5 and 7 and when looking at adverse clinical outcomes instead of mortality alone.

Predictive Values of Semi-Quantitative Procalcitonin Test and Common Biomarkers for the Clinical Outcomes of Community-Acquired Pneumonia

The semi-quantitative serum procalcitonin test (Brahms PCT-Q) is available conveniently in clinical practice. However, there are few data on the relationship between results for this semi-quantitative procalcitonin test and clinical outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We investigated the usefulness of this procalcitonin test for predicting the clinical outcomes of CAP in comparison with severity scoring systems and the blood urea nitrogen/serum albumin (B/A) ratio, which has been reported to be a simple but reliable prognostic indicator in our prior CAP study. This retrospective study included data from subjects who were hospitalized for CAP from August 2010 through October 2012 and who were administered the semi-quantitative serum procalcitonin test on admission. The demographic characteristics; laboratory biomarkers; microbiological test results; Pneumonia Severity Index scores; confusion, urea nitrogen, breathing frequency, blood pressure, ≥ 65 years of age (CURB-65) scale scores; and age, dehydration, respiratory failure, orientation disturbance, pressure (A-DROP) scale scores on hospital admission were retrieved from their medical charts. The outcomes were mortality within 28 days of hospital admission and the need for intensive care. Of the 213 subjects with CAP who were enrolled in the study, 20 died within 28 days of hospital admission, and 32 required intensive care. Mortality did not differ significantly among subjects with different semi-quantitative serum procalcitonin levels; however, subjects with serum procalcitonin levels ≥ 10.0 ng/mL were more likely to require intensive care than those with lower levels (P < .001). The elevation of semi-quantitative serum procalcitonin levels was more frequently observed in subjects with proven etiology, especially pneumococcal pneumonia. Using the receiver operating characteristic curves for mortality, the area under the curve was 0.86 for Pneumonia Severity Index class, 0.81 for B/A ratio, 0.81 for A-DROP, 0.80 for CURB-65, and 0.57 for semi-quantitative procalcitonin test. The semi-quantitative serum procalcitonin level on hospital admission was less predictive of mortality from CAP compared with the B/A ratio. However, the subjects with serum procalcitonin levels ≥ 10.0 ng/mL were more likely to require intensive care than those with lower levels.

CD4+ cell counts and HIV-RNA levels do not predict outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized HIV-infected patients

Outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in relation to CD4+ cell counts have not been established. We examined the correlation of CD4+ cell count and HIV-RNA level with the clinical outcomes of CAP in hospitalized HIV-infected patients. This was a retrospective study of 127 adult hospitalized patients with HIV infection enrolled with the CAP Organization (CAPO), examining the time to clinical stability (TCS), length of hospital stay (LOS), and all-cause mortality. Mortality data were available for 117 HIV-infected patients with CAP. Death within 28 days was reported in 28 patients. The risk of mortality at 28 days was not significant when adjusted for CD4+ cell count (p=0.123), HIV-RNA <400-1000 copies/ml (p=0.093), HIV-RNA ≥ 1000-10,000 copies/ml (p=0.543), and HIV-RNA ≥ 10,000-100,000 copies/ml (p=0.383). The propensity-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models did not show any statistically significant differences in LOS or TCS for CD4+ cell counts (p=0.590 and p=0.420, respectively) or HIV-RNA levels (p=0.470 and p=0.080, respectively). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models did not reveal any statistically significant relationships between CD4+ cell counts or HIV-RNA levels with LOS or TCS. Our study shows that clinical outcomes of HIV-infected patients with CAP are not predicted by CD4+ cell counts or HIV-RNA levels after adjusting for confounders. The management of CAP in patients with HIV infection should not be based on CD4+ cell counts or HIV-RNA levels of the HIV infection.

Community acquired pneumonia in Port Harcourt River State of Nigeria

Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major cause of death world wide. Knowledge of the likely pathogens and their sensitivity/resistance pattern can help in the choice of antibiotic therapy and improve outcome. To identify the seasonal variation; age and sex distribution; bacteriology; antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of isolates; haematological data; radiology and clinicaloutcome of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adult patients admitted to hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Prospective study. University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, and Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Adults admitted to the hospitals with CAP between 1 May 2002, and 30 April 2003. A diagnostic strategy using regular collection of sputum samples for gram stain, bacteriological culture and chest radiography were done. Blood cultures were done in severe cases. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was done on the positive cultures. During a 12 month period, 54 patients aged 16 to 82 years (mean 38.1 years) were evaluated. A total of 944 medical admissions were seen during the same period. This gives a prevalence rate of 5.7%. Twenty six classes of bacteria were isolated from the sputum of 23 patients (yield, 42.6%). Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most common pathogen, was isolated in nine cases (34.6%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae which was present in eight (30.8%). Other isolates included, Escherichia coli, four cases (15.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, three cases (11.5%), and Staphylococcus aureus, two cases (7.7%). The commonest radiological pattern was lobar consolidation (49.9%) with no Distinct pattern associated with any conventional bacterial pathogen. The isolates showed good sensitivity to the newer and more expensive antibiotics (quinolines and cephalosporines) with marked resistance to the older and cheaper ones. However, clinical responses to benzyl penicillin and gentamycin were found to be good. Out of 54 patients evaluated, four (7.4%) died. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Klebsiella were common aetiological organisms of CAP in Port Harcourt. Treatment of CAP with benzyl penicillin remains an appropriate first line choice in this environment while the more expensive quinolines and cephalosporines can be used as backups.

Viral and Mycoplasma pneumoniae community-acquired pneumonia and novel clinical outcome evaluation in ambulatory adult patients in China

Few studies have addressed the etiology and clinical outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) treated in an ambulatory setting. We investigated the etiology by the culture of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, urine antigen testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Legionella pneumoniae, and DNA or RNA determination of eight kinds of respiratory virus DNA or RNA. An etiological diagnosis was made in 51.8% of 197 patients. The most common pathogens were M. pneumoniae (29.4%) followed by influenza virus A, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus (9.6%), and S. pneumoniae (4.1%). Patients with mycoplasma infections were younger, less likely to have comorbidities, and less likely to have adequate sputum for gram stain and culture. Patients with viral infections were older and more likely to have poorly defined nodules on chest X-ray (CXR) or computed tomography (CT) scan. Among patients infected with M. pneumoniae, those with quinolones as initial prescriptions had shorter duration of fever after the initiation of antibiotics than patients with β-lactams, macrolides, or β-lactams + macrolides (p < 0.05). This study suggests that M. pneumoniae and respiratory viruses were the most frequent pathogens found in ambulatory adult CAP patients and quinolones were better than β-lactams, macrolides, or β-lactams + macrolides in the resolution of fever of M. pneumoniae pneumonia.