Long-term mortality following hospitalization for CAP is high. Charlson score and lack of fever are potential indicators for decreased long-term survival. As novel parameters, baseline BUN/albumin ratios and ALT levels are significantly associated with late mortality. Further interventions and closer monitoring are necessary for such subgroups of patients.

Background/aim: The optimal empiric antibiotic regimen for patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical cure rate, mortality, and length of stay among patients hospitalized with communityacquired pneumonia in nonintensive care unit (ICU) wards and treated with a β-lactam, β-lactam and macrolide combination, or a fluoroquinolone. Materials and methods:This prospective cohort study was performed using standardized web-based database sheets from January 2009 to September 2013 in nine tertiary care hospitals in Turkey.Results: Six hundred and twenty-one consecutive patients were enrolled. A pathogen was identified in 78 (12.6%) patients. The most frequently isolated bacteria were S. pneumoniae (21.8%) and P. aeruginosa (19.2%). The clinical cure rate and length of stay were not different among patients treated with β-lactam, β-lactam and macrolide combination, and fluoroquinolone. Forty-seven patients (9.2%) died during the hospitalization period. There was no difference in survival among the three treatment groups. Conclusion:In patients admitted to non-ICU hospital wards for CAP, there was no difference in clinical outcomes between β-lactam, β-lactam and macrolide combination, and fluoroquinolone regimens.

Objective We aimed to investigate the effect of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in the outcomes of community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP), as well as to determine if ICS usage is exist among the risk factors for mortality in those patients. Materials and Methods In this retrospective cross‐sectional multicentre study, 1069 hospitalised CAP patients were investigated using CAP Database of Turkish Thoracic Society (TURKCAP Database). The patients were divided into two groups, depending on their ICS use. The data were analysed by appropriate statistical methods. Results 172 (75.8%) of the 227 patients who were on ICS had COPD and 37 (16.3%) had asthma. There were fewer patients with fever among ICS‐users compared to non‐ICS users (P = 0.013), and less muscle pain (P = 0.015) and fewer GIS symptoms (P = 0.022). No statistically significant difference was found between ICS use/ type of ICS and the duration of hospitalisation (P = 0.286). The multivariate regression analysis showed that patients using ICS had lower body temperature and, less crackles/bronchial sound. In the multivariate logistic regression model lung cancer (OR: 6.75), glucose (OR: 1.01) and CURB‐65 (OR: 1.72) were significantly associated with mortality in the CAP patients. ICS usage were not found to be associated with mortality. Conclusion The use of ICS by the patients with CAP admitted to the hospital is not independently related with any radiological pattern, hospitalisation duration and mortality. ICS usage may diminish fever response and may suppress the findings of crackles and/or bronchial sounds. This needs further confirmation.

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