Title
Severity and outcomes of community acquired pneumonia in asthmatic patients
Date Issued
01 November 2014
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Terraneo S.
Polverino E.
Amaro R.
Vennera M.D.C.
Gabarrus A.
Montull B.
Moreno E.
Menendez R.
Centanni S.
Torres A.
Universidad de Barcelona
Publisher(s)
W.B. Saunders Ltd
Abstract
SummaryBackground Limited information is available about clinical outcomes and microbiology of community-acquired pneumonia in asthma. Methods We prospectively studied 4079 CAP patients over a 12-years period and found 139 (3.4%) asthmatic patients. Results Asthmatics showed younger age (57 ± 19 vs. 66 ± 19 years), less males (32% vs. 68%) and less active smokers (15% vs. 25%). Moreover, they had used more frequently inhaled corticosteroids (ICs, 53% vs. 17%, p < 0.001) and antibiotics (32% vs. 24%, p = 0.041). In comparison with non asthma-CAP, asthmatics showed at admission more pleuritic pain and dyspnoea but less severe pneumonia (PSI, CURB-65, PaO2/FIO2 ratio; p < 0.05). No differences were observed in CAP microbiology, being Streptococcus pneumoniae the most frequent isolate. Clinical outcomes in asthmatic patients were similar to the general population (mortality, mechanical ventilation, etc.) but with a shorter median length of stay (6 [3; 9] vs. 7 [4; 10] days, p = 0.023). The chronic use of ICs did not influence clinical presentation and outcomes among asthmatic patients. Conclusions Asthmatics were younger and showed similar clinical presentation. Consistently with PSI, asthmatics showed similar outcomes than the general population. The microbial aetiology of CAP in asthma did not differ from the general population and antibiotic therapy should follow current guidelines.
Start page
1713
End page
1722
Volume
108
Issue
11
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Sistema respiratorio Enfermedades infecciosas
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84922458456
PubMed ID
Source
Respiratory Medicine
ISSN of the container
09546111
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus