Epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia in adults: a population-based study

Abstract

a study was performed in a mixed residential-industrial urban population of the "Maresme" region in Barcelona, Spain. All subjects $14 yrs of age (annual average population size 74,368 inhabitants) with clinically suspected community-acquired pneumonia were registered. All cases were re-evaluated by chest radiographs on the 5th day of illness and at monthly intervals until complete recovery. Urine and blood samples were obtained for culture and antigen detection. When lower respiratory tract secretions were obtained, these were also cultured.There were 241 patients with community-acquired pneumonia, with an annual incidence rate of 1.62 cases (95% confidence interval, 1.42±1.82) per 1,000 inhabitants. Incidence rates increased by age groups and were higher in males than in females. Of 232 patients with aetiological data, 104 had an identifiable aetiology. A total of 114 pathogens were found (single pathogen 94, two pathogens 10). There were 81 episodes of bacterial infection and 33 of viral infection. The most common pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and influenza A and B viruses. No case of Hantavirus infection was found. The rate of hospital admission was 61.4% with a mean SD length of 11.7 10.1 days, a mean period of 23.0 14.3 days inactivity, and an overall mortality rate of 5%.The high rate of hospital admission, prolonged stay in hospital, and long period of inactivity all continue to constitute a social and health care burden of communityacquired pneumonia. Eur Respir J 2000; 15: 757±763.

Absence of leukocytosis in bacteraemic pneumococcal pneumonia

“…3 Streptococcus pneumoniae accounts for about 50% of all cases of CAP requiring admission to hospital. 4 Diagnostic evaluation of patients with symptoms suggestive of pneumonia is important and quite common, especially in the primary care setting. Since the presenting symptoms are often non-specific, the accurate assessment leading to a diagnosis of CAP should be pursued and followed by the appropriate assessment of illness severity.…”

Inflammatory responses predict long-term mortality risk in community-acquired pneumonia

“…C ommunity-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has a substantial short-term mortality rate and accounts for almost 10% of the worldwide burden of morbidity and mortality [1][2][3]. Effort has been made to better understand short-term (30 day) mortality in CAP patients to guide site-of-care decisions and identify patients at risk who may benefit from distinct sepsis therapies [4].…”

Epidemiología de la neumonía del adulto adquirida en la comunidad

“…La NAC se presenta con mayor frecuencia en personas mayores de 65 años, constituyendo un factor de riesgo independiente que participa simultáneamente tanto en la incidencia como en la gravedad de la enfermedad 4,[8][9][10]16 [Ib, II]. Aunque esto carece de utilidad en términos prác-ticos, sí resulta relevante para efectos de focalizar recursos en los grupos más vulnerables de la población.…”