“…Variables studied: For analysis we considered the most predictive variables (table I) according to a previous study (14): (1) demographic variables: age, sex ; (2) risk factors: smoking, chronic alcoholism; underlying disease, including COPD, HIV infection, solid or hematologic neoplasm; pharmacologic immunosuppression (steroids and chemotherapy); (3) variables of clinical presentation: cough, expectoration, thoracic pain, headache, confusion, diarrhea and antibiotic treatment with beta-lactamic drugs prior to pneumonia; (4) analytical data: sodium (Na), creatine kinase (CK) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT).…”