Increasing hospital admissions for pneumonia, England

No evidence of difference in mortality with amoxicillin versus co-amoxiclav for hospital treatment of community-acquired pneumonia

OBJECTIVES

Current guidelines recommend broad-spectrum antibiotics for high-severity community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), potentially contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We aim to compare outcomes in CAP patients treated with amoxicillin (narrow-spectrum) versus co-amoxiclav (broad-spectrum), to understand if narrow-spectrum antibiotics could be used more widely.

METHODS

We analysed electronic health records from adults (≥16 y) admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of pneumonia between 01-January-2016 and 30-September-2023 in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. Patients receiving baseline ([-12 h,+24 h] from admission) amoxicillin or co-amoxiclav were included. The association between 30-day all-cause mortality and baseline antibiotic was examined using propensity score (PS) matching and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) to address confounding by baseline characteristics and disease severity. Subgroup analyses by disease severity and sensitivity analyses with missing covariates imputed were also conducted.

RESULTS

Among 16,072 admissions with a primary diagnosis of pneumonia, 9685 received either baseline amoxicillin or co-amoxiclav. There was no evidence of a difference in 30-day mortality between patients receiving initial co-amoxiclav vs. amoxicillin (PS matching: marginal odds ratio 0.97 [0.76-1.27], p = 0.61; IPTW: 1.02 [0.78-1.33], p = 0.87). Results remained similar across stratified analyses of mild, moderate, and severe pneumonia. Results were also similar with missing data imputed. There was also no evidence of an association between 30-day mortality and use of additional macrolides or additional doxycycline.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no evidence of co-amoxiclav being advantageous over amoxicillin for treatment of CAP in 30-day mortality at a population-level, regardless of disease severity. Wider use of narrow-spectrum empirical treatment of moderate/severe CAP should be considered to curb potential for AMR.

Effect of the PCV 10 vaccination on community-acquired pneumonia hospitalisations after four years of its introduction into the Polish National Immunisation Programme: Follow-up study

BACKGROUND

Vaccination against pneumococci is currently the most effective method of protection against pneumococcal infections. The aim of the study was to analyse changes in hospitalisations and in-hospital deaths due to pneumonia before (2009-2016) and after (2017-2020) the introduction of PCV 10 vaccinations in the National Immunisation Programme in Poland.

METHODS

Data on hospitalisations related to community acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the years 2009-2020 were obtained from the Nationwide General Hospital Morbidity Study. Analyses were made in the age groups: <2, 2-3, 4-5, 6-19, 20-59, 60+ years in 2009-2016 and 2017-2020.

RESULTS

Overall, there were 1,503,105 CAP-related hospitalisations in 2009-2020, 0.7% of which were caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. Children <2 years of age were the most frequently hospitalised for CAP per 100,000 population, followed by patients aged 2-3, 4-5 and 60+ years. In the years 2009-2016, the percentage of CAP hospital admissions increased significantly, and after the year 2017, it decreased significantly in each of the age groups (p<0.001). In the years 2009-2016, a significant increase in hospitalisations for Streptococcus pneumoniae infections was observed in the age groups <2, 2-3 and 4-5 years (p<0.05). A significant reduction in hospitalisations was observed in the age groups <2, 20-59 and 60+ in 2017-2020 (p<0.05). In the years 2009-2020, there were 84,367 in-hospital deaths due to CAP, 423 (0.5%) of which due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, with patients mainly aged 60+.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of the PCV vaccination programme has effectively decreased the incidence of CAP hospitalisations, including children <2 years of age. The group that is most at risk of death are persons aged 60+. The results of our study can be useful in evaluating the vaccine efficacy and benefits, and they can be an essential part of public health policy. Effective prevention strategies for CAP should be implemented in different age groups.

Incidence of Invasive and Noninvasive Pneumococcal Pneumonia Hospitalizations in People Aged ≥50 Years: Assessing Variability Across Denmark and Spain

Determining pneumococcal pneumonia (PP) burden in the elderly population is challenging due to limited data on invasive PP (IPP) and, in particular, noninvasive PP (NIPP) incidence. Using retrospective cohorts of adults aged ≥50 years in Denmark (2 782 303) and the Valencia region, Spain (2 283 344), we found higher IPP hospitalization rates in Denmark than Valencia (18.3 vs 9/100 000 person-years [PY], respectively). Conversely, NIPP hospitalization rates were higher in Valencia (48.2 vs 7.2/100 000 PY). IPP and NIPP rates increased with age and comorbidities in both regions, with variations by sex and case characteristics (eg, complications, mortality). The burden of PP in adults is substantial, yet its true magnitude remains elusive. Discrepancies in clinical practices impede international comparisons; for instance, Valencia employed a higher frequency of urinary antigen tests compared to Denmark. Additionally, coding practices and prehospital antibiotic utilization may further influence these variations. These findings could guide policymakers and enhance the understanding of international disparities in disease burden assessments.

Organizational Benefits of Ultra-Low-Dose Chest CT Compared to Chest Radiography in the Emergency Department for the Diagnostic Workup of Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Real-Life Retrospective Analysis

Background and Objectives: Chest radiography remains the most frequently used examination in emergency departments (ED) for the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), despite its poor diagnostic accuracy compared with ultra-low-dose (ULD) chest computed tomography (CT). However, although ULD CT appears to be an attractive alternative to radiography, its organizational impact in ED remains unknown. Our objective was to compare the relevant timepoints in ED management of CT and chest radiography. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in two ED of a University Hospital including consecutive patients consulting for a CAP between 1 March 2019 and 29 February 2020 to assess the organizational benefits of ULD chest CT and chest radiography (length of stay (LOS) in the ED, time of clinical decision after imaging). Overlap weights (OW) were used to reduce covariate imbalance between groups. Results: Chest radiography was performed for 1476 patients (mean age: 76 years [63; 86]; 55% men) and ULD chest CT for 133 patients (mean age: 71 [57; 83]; 53% men). In the weighted population with OW, ULD chest CT did not significantly alter the ED LOS compared with chest radiography (11.7 to 12.2; MR 0.96 [0.85; 1.09]), although it did significantly reduce clinical decision time (6.9 and 9.5 h; MR 0.73 [0.59; 0.89]). Conclusion: There is real-life evidence that a strategy with ULD chest CT can be considered to be a relevant approach to replace chest radiography as part of the diagnostic workup for CAP in the ED without increasing ED LOS.

Risk factors of pneumonia in persons with and without Alzheimer's disease: a matched cohort study

BACKGROUND

Pneumonia is a very common infection in the cognitively impaired adult population, often leading to long-term deterioration, in physical and cognitive performance. Evidence is lacking on whether chronic comorbidities and drug use are risk factors for pneumonia in persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors of pneumonia in community dwellers with and without AD.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective register-based study utilizing the Medication Use and Alzheimer's disease (MEDALZ) cohort, which is based on Finnish nationwide healthcare registers and includes all community dwellers who received a verified clinical diagnosis of AD between 2005 to 2011. This study comprised 69,350 persons with AD and 69,350 persons without AD matched by age, gender, and region of residence. Association between comorbidities, drug use, and hospitalization due to pneumonia were assessed using Cox Regression.

RESULTS

During the follow-up, 25.0% (n = 17,105) of the AD cohort and 15.8% (n = 10,966) of the non-AD cohort were hospitalized due to pneumonia. Persons with AD had a higher risk of pneumonia also after adjusting for comorbidities (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.71-1.80). Previous pneumonia was the strongest risk factor for pneumonia in both cohorts. All comorbidities and drug use excluding biological product use were associated with a higher risk of pneumonia, but stronger associations were observed in the non-AD cohort. The risk of hospitalization following psychotropic drug use was proportional to the number of psychotropics utilized.

CONCLUSIONS

Pneumonia is a serious, potentially life-threatening illness, and risk factors for pneumonia include several potentially avoidable drugs. In addition, good care of existing comorbidities might prevent pneumonia and related hospitalization.

Adults with symptoms of pneumonia: a prospective comparison of patients with and without infiltrates on chest radiography

OBJECTIVE

Most studies on patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) require confirmation of an infiltrate by chest radiography, but in practice admissions are common among patients with symptoms of pneumonia without an infiltrate (SPWI). The aim of this research was to compare clinical characteristics, microbial etiology, and outcomes among patients with CAP and SPWI.

METHODS

Adults suspected of CAP were prospectively recruited at Landspitali University Hospital over a 1-year period, 2018 to 2019. The study was population based. Those admitted with two or more of the following symptoms were invited to participate: temperature ≥38°C or ≤36°C, sweating, shaking/chills, chest pain, a new cough, or new onset of dyspnea. Primary outcome was mortality at 30 days and one year.

RESULTS

Six hundred twenty-five cases were included, 409 with CAP and 216 with SPWI; median age was 75 (interquartile range [IQR] 64-84) and 315 (50.4%) were females. Patients with CAP were more likely to have fever (≥38.0°C) (66.9% [273/408]) vs. 49.3% (106/215), p < 0.001), a higher CRP (median 103 [IQR 34-205] vs. 55 (IQR 17-103), p < 0.001), identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae (18.0% [64/355]) vs. 6.3% (10/159) of tested, p = 0.002) and to receive antibacterial treatment (99.5% [407/409]) vs. 87.5% (189/216), p < 0.001) but less likely to have a respiratory virus detected (25.4% [33/130]) vs. 51.2% (43/84) of tested, p < 0.001). The adjusted odds ratios for 30-day and 1 year mortality of SPWI compared to CAP were 0.86 (95% CI 0.40-1.86) and 1.46 (95% CI 0.92-2.32), respectively.

DISCUSSION

SPWI is a common cause of hospitalization and despite having fever less frequently, lower inflammatory markers, and lower detection rate of pneumococci than patients with CAP, mortality is not significantly different.

A review of evidence for pneumococcal vaccination in adults at increased risk of pneumococcal disease: risk group definitions and optimization of vaccination coverage in the United Kingdom

INTRODUCTION

Pneumococcal disease (PD) significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality, carrying substantial economic and public health burden. This article is a targeted review of evidence for pneumococcal vaccination in the UK, the definitions of groups at particular risk of PD and vaccine effectiveness.

AREAS COVERED

Relevant evidence focusing on UK data from surveillance systems, randomized controlled trials, observational studies and publicly available government documents is collated and reviewed. Selected global data are included where appropriate.

EXPERT OPINION

National vaccination programs have reduced the incidence of vaccine-type PD, despite the rising prominence of non-vaccine serotypes in the UK. The introduction of higher-valency conjugate vaccines provides an opportunity to improve protection against PD for adults in risk groups. Several incentives are in place to encourage general practitioners to vaccinate risk groups, but uptake is low-suboptimal particularly among at-risk individuals. Wider awareness and understanding among the public and healthcare professionals may increase vaccination uptake and coverage. National strategies targeting organizational factors are urgently needed to achieve optimal access to vaccines. Finally, identifying new risk factors and approaches to risk assessment for PD are crucial to ensure those at risk of PD can benefit from pneumococcal vaccination.

Risk of cardiovascular events leading to hospitalisation after Streptococcus pneumoniae infection: a retrospective cohort LIFE Study

OBJECTIVES

To elucidate the risk of cardiovascular event occurrence following Streptococcus pneumoniae infection.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using a LIFE Study database.

SETTING

Three municipalities in Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

Municipality residents who were enrolled in either National Health Insurance or the Latter-Stage Elderly Healthcare System from April 2014 to March 2020.

EXPOSURE

Occurrence of S. pneumoniae infection.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Occurrence of one of the following cardiovascular events that led to hospitalisation after S. pneumoniae infection: (1) coronary heart disease (CHD), (2) heart failure (HF), (3) stroke or (4) atrial fibrillation (AF).

RESULTS

S. pneumoniae-infected patients were matched with non-infected patients for each cardiovascular event. We matched 209 infected patients and 43 499 non-infected patients for CHD, 179 infected patients and 44 148 non-infected patients for HF, 221 infected patients and 44 768 non-infected patients for stroke, and 241 infected patients and 39 568 non-infected patients for AF. During follow-up, the incidence rates for the matched infected and non-infected patients were, respectively, 38.6 (95% CI 19.9 to 67.3) and 30.4 (29.1 to 31.8) per 1000 person-years for CHD; 69.6 (41.9 to 108.8) and 50.5 (48.9 to 52.2) per 1000 person-years for HF; 75.4 (48.3 to 112.2) and 35.5 (34.1 to 36.9) per 1000 person-years for stroke; and 34.7 (17.9 to 60.6) and 11.2 (10.4 to 12.0) per 1000 person-years for AF. Infected patients were significantly more likely to develop stroke (adjusted HR: 2.05, 95% CI 1.22 to 3.47; adjusted subdistribution HR: 1.94, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.26) and AF (3.29, 1.49 to 7.26; 2.74, 1.24 to 6.05) than their non-infected counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

S. pneumoniae infections elevate the risk of subsequent stroke and AF occurrence. These findings indicate that pneumococcal infections have short-term effects on patients' health and increase their midterm to long-term susceptibility to serious cardiovascular events.

Incidence of community acquired lower respiratory tract disease in Bristol, UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective cohort study

Background

The emergence of COVID-19 and public health measures implemented to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infections have both affected acute lower respiratory tract disease (aLRTD) epidemiology and incidence trends. The severity of COVID-19 and non-SARS-CoV-2 aLRTD during this period have not been compared in detail.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study of adults age ≥18 years admitted to either of two acute care hospitals in Bristol, UK, from August 2020 to November 2021. Patients were included if they presented with signs or symptoms of aLRTD (e.g., cough, pleurisy), or a clinical or radiological aLRTD diagnosis.

Findings

12,557 adult aLRTD hospitalisations occurred: 10,087 were associated with infection (pneumonia or non-pneumonic lower respiratory tract infection [NP-LRTI]), 2161 with no infective cause, with 306 providing a minimal surveillance dataset. Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection accounted for 32% (3178/10,087) of respiratory infections. Annual incidences of overall, COVID-19, and non- SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were 714.1, 264.2, and 449.9, and NP-LRTI were 346.2, 43.8, and 302.4 per 100,000 adults, respectively. Weekly incidence trends in COVID-19 aLRTD showed large surges (median 6.5 [IQR 0.7-10.2] admissions per 100,000 adults per week), while other infective aLRTD events were more stable (median 14.3 [IQR 12.8-16.4] admissions per 100,000 adults per week) as were non-infective aLRTD events (median 4.4 [IQR 3.5-5.5] admissions per 100,000 adults per week).

Interpretation

While COVID-19 disease was a large component of total aLRTD during this pandemic period, non- SARS-CoV-2 infection still caused the majority of respiratory infection hospitalisations. COVID-19 disease showed significant temporal fluctuations in frequency, which were less apparent in non-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite public health interventions to reduce respiratory infection, disease incidence remains high.

Funding

AvonCAP is an investigator-led project funded under a collaborative agreement by Pfizer.

Incidence of community acquired lower respiratory tract disease in Bristol, UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The emergence of COVID-19 and public health measures implemented to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infections have both affected acute lower respiratory tract disease (aLRTD) epidemiology and incidence trends. The severity of COVID-19 and non-SARS-CoV-2 aLRTD during this period have not been compared in detail.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study of adults age ≥18 years admitted to either of two acute care hospitals in Bristol, UK, from August 2020 to November 2021. Patients were included if they presented with signs or symptoms of aLRTD (e.g., cough, pleurisy), or a clinical or radiological aLRTD diagnosis.

FINDINGS

12,557 adult aLRTD hospitalisations occurred: 10,087 were associated with infection (pneumonia or non-pneumonic lower respiratory tract infection [NP-LRTI]), 2161 with no infective cause, with 306 providing a minimal surveillance dataset. Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection accounted for 32% (3178/10,087) of respiratory infections. Annual incidences of overall, COVID-19, and non- SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were 714.1, 264.2, and 449.9, and NP-LRTI were 346.2, 43.8, and 302.4 per 100,000 adults, respectively. Weekly incidence trends in COVID-19 aLRTD showed large surges (median 6.5 [IQR 0.7-10.2] admissions per 100,000 adults per week), while other infective aLRTD events were more stable (median 14.3 [IQR 12.8-16.4] admissions per 100,000 adults per week) as were non-infective aLRTD events (median 4.4 [IQR 3.5-5.5] admissions per 100,000 adults per week).

INTERPRETATION

While COVID-19 disease was a large component of total aLRTD during this pandemic period, non- SARS-CoV-2 infection still caused the majority of respiratory infection hospitalisations. COVID-19 disease showed significant temporal fluctuations in frequency, which were less apparent in non-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite public health interventions to reduce respiratory infection, disease incidence remains high.

FUNDING

AvonCAP is an investigator-led project funded under a collaborative agreement by Pfizer.

Analysis of the association between atrial fibrillation with in-hospital mortality in people admitted for community-acquired pneumonia through an observational, nation-wide, sex-stratified study

We aimed to analyze the influence of atrial fibrillation (AF) prior to hospital admission (“prevalent”) and AF diagnosed during hospital admission (“incident”) on in-hospital mortality (IHM) in women and men admitted for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Spain (2016–2019). We used the Spanish Register of Specialized Care‐Basic Minimum Database. We analyzed 519,750 cases of CAP in people ≥ 18 years (213,631 women (41.1%)), out of which people with prevalent AF represented 23.75% (N = 123,440), whereas people with incident AF constituted 0.60% (N = 3154). Versus no AF, crude IHM was significantly higher for prevalent AF (15.24% vs. 11.40%, p < 0.001) and for incident AF (23.84% vs. 12.24%, p < 0.001). After propensity score marching, IHM in women and men with prevalent AF neared IHM in women and men with no AF (15.72% vs. 15.52%, p = 0.425; and 14.90% vs. 14.99%, p = 0.631, respectively), but IHM in women and men with incident AF was higher than IHM in women and men with no AF (24.37% vs. 13.36%, p < 0.001; and 23.94% vs. 14.04%, p < 0.001, respectively). Male sex was associated with a higher IHM in people with prevalent AF (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.02–1–10), but not in people with incident AF (OR 0.93; 95% CI 0.77–1–13). AF diagnosed during hospital admission was associated with a higher IHM, irrespectively of sex.

The hospitalization burden of all-cause pneumonia in China: A population-based study, 2009-2017

BACKGROUND

Pneumonia represents a public health problem of substantial health and economic burden. However, the evidence on the burden of adult pneumonia is limited in China.

METHODS

The China Kadoorie Biobank recruited 512,725 participants aged 30-79 years from five urban and five rural areas during 2004-2008. The current analyses included 506,086 participants who were alive in 2009. Pneumonia hospitalizations were ascertained through the health insurance system until December 31, 2017. Generalized linear models were used to examine the secular trends and regional and population variations in pneumonia hospitalization rate, mean length of hospital stay (LOS), and 30-day case fatality rate (CFR).

FINDINGS

A total of 27,879 participants with 36,567 pneumonia hospitalizations were identified with a mean follow-up time of 8·9 years. The unadjusted hospitalization rate was 8·4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8·3, 8·6) per 1000 person-years, with an increase of 15·5% annually from 4·2 (3·9, 4·4) in 2009 to 10·9 (10·6, 11·3) in 2017, after adjusting for age, sex, study area. The mean LOS was 8·8 (95% CI: 8·7, 8·9) days, with a slight decrease of 1·0% annually from 2009 to 2017. The average 30-day CFR remained practically unchanged at 2·4 (95% CI: 2·2, 2·5) deaths per 100 admissions. A clear seasonal pattern of pneumonia hospitalization rate was observed, and the hospitalization rate and CFR differed across regions and subpopulations of different ages and underlying conditions.

INTERPRETATION

There was an increasing hospitalization burden of pneumonia in Chinese adults, especially for adults aged ≥60 years or those with underlying conditions.

FUNDING

The National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Kadoorie Charitable Foundation, the National Key R&D Program of China, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.

TRANSLATED ABSTRACT IN CHINESE

This translation in Chinese was submitted by the authors and we reproduce it as supplied. It has not been peer reviewed. Our editorial processes have only been applied to the original abstract in English, which should serve as reference for this manuscript. :, ., .:(China Kadoorie Biobank)2004-2008555030-79.506,086200911.20091120171231.,30,.:8.9, 27,879, 36,567.8.4 (95% CI:8.3, 8.6)/1000, ,, 20094.2 (3.9, 4.4)201710.9 (10.6, 11.3), 15.5%.8.8(95% CI:8.7, 8.9), 1.0%.30, 2.4(95% CI:2.2, 2.5)/100.;,, 30.:, ≥60.

Factors associated with mortality in younger and older (≥75 years) hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND

Pneumonia is among the most serious infections in the elderly. The evaluation of prognosis and predicting the outcome is essential in managing the treatment of patients with pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate factors that might affect the mortality of elderly patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in two age groups.

DESIGN

Medical record review.

SETTINGS

Tertiary care hospital.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included CAP patients who were hospitalized during the period from January 2017 and December 2019. The CURB-65 scale was chosen to assess the severity of pneumonia on admission. Multivariate analyses were conducted separately for patients younger than 75 years and 75 years or older.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

30-day mortality, factors associated with mortality.

SAMPLE SIZE AND CHARACTERISTICS

1603 patients with a median age of 74, including 918 women (57%).

RESULTS

The 30-day mortality rate was 6.5%. Patients with carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria had lower survival rates (P<.0001). In the multivariate analysis, age, lung cancer, CURB-65, carbapenem resistance, and duration of hospital stay were associated with mortality in patients aged 75 years or older. Lung cancer, malignant disease, carbapenem resistance, duration of hospital stay and procalcitonin level were associated with mortality under the age of 75. Of 640 sputum cultures tested, P aeruginosa (42%) was the most common pathogen.

CONCLUSION

The risk factors that affected mortality differed among patients aged 75 years or older versus younger patients. Our findings are important in determining factors associated with mortality in managing the treatment and follow up of hospitalized CAP patients younger or 75 years of age or older.

LIMITATIONS

Single-center, retrospective.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.

Pneumonia—Overview

Pneumonia is very common and continues to exact a high burden on health. The Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 found lower respiratory infections (LRIs) were the leading infectious cause of death and the fifth leading cause of death overall. Pneumococcal pneumonia caused 55% of LRI deaths in all ages (1.5 million deaths).

Novel pathogens, particularly viruses, continue to emerge as causes of pneumonia. The rise of drug-resistance among common respiratory pathogens is a further challenge. Pneumonia is commonly classified according to patient location at the time of infection, leading to the categories of community-acquired, hospital-acquired and ventilator-acquired pneumonia.

Community-Acquired Pneumonia among Patients with COPD in Spain from 2016 to 2019. Cohort Study Assessing Sex Differences in the Incidence and Outcomes Using Hospital Discharge Data

Background: To describe and analyze the incidence and hospital outcomes of patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) according to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) status and sex in Spanish hospitals from 2016 to 2019. Methods: We conducted a cohort study using national hospital discharge data of all patients ≥40 years with CAP. Results: A total of 500,833 patients (59.0% men) was identified. Incidence of CAP increased over time. Age-adjusted incidence was 4.42-times higher in COPD patients. In-hospital mortality (IHM) was lower in men and women with COPD than in those without COPD (14.41% vs. 10.70% in men; 11.12% vs. 8.58%. in women; p < 0.001). The risk of dying in hospital increased with age, presence of several comorbidities (excluding T2DM that was a protective factor), and need for mechanical ventilation (non-invasive and invasive) during admission, irrespective of sex. Over time, the IHM decreased significantly in men and women with COPD. Men with COPD were significantly more likely to die in hospital than were COPD women (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.07–1.21). Conclusions: Incidence of CAP was higher among subjects with COPD, although the effect of COPD was higher in men than in women. By contrast, IHM was lower in COPD patients, but men with COPD were significantly more likely to die in hospital than were COPD women.

A review of current data to support decision making for introduction of next generation higher valency pneumococcal conjugate vaccination of immunocompetent older adults in the UK

INTRODUCTION

The burden of pneumococcal disease in older UK adults remains substantial. Higher valency pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are currently in development with adult formulations for two of these anticipated to become available in 2022. This article collates and reviews relevant candidate data now available that may be used to support cost effectiveness assessments of vaccinating immunocompetent UK adults aged ≥65-years with PCVs.

AREAS COVERED

This article uses published data from surveillance systems, randomized controlled trials and observational studies. It focuses on local data from the UK but where these are either limited or not available relevant global data are considered.

EXPERT OPINION

The body of relevant data now available suggests the UK is well placed to assess the cost effectiveness of vaccinating immunocompetent ≥65-year olds with new generation higher valency PCVs. Recent contemporary data provide important new and robust insights into the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease in older UK adults and help to address much of the uncertainty and data gaps associated with previous analyses. Using these data to make informed decisions about use of new higher valency PCVs for routine use in older adults will be important for public health in the UK.

Incidence, Outcomes and Sex-Related Disparities in Pneumonia: A Matched-Pair Analysis with Data from Spanish Hospitals (2016-2019)

(1) Background: the purpose of this study is to analyze the incidence and in-hospital mortality (IHM) of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) needing hospital admission and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) in Spain (2016–2019). (2) Methods: using the Spanish Register of Specialized Care-Basic Minimum Database, we estimated the incidence of CAP and HAP. We matched each woman with a man with an identical age, according to comorbidities. (3) Results: we analyzed 518,838 cases of CAP and 38,705 cases of HAP, and 5192 ventilator-associated HAPs (13.4%). The incidence of CAP increased over time in both men (from 384.5 to 449.8 cases/105 population) and women (from 244.9 to 301.2 cases/105 population). Men showed a 47% higher adjusted incidence of CAP than women. The incidence of HAP increased over time in both men (from 302.3 to 342.2 cases/105 population) and women (from 139.2 to 167.6 cases/105 population). Men showed a 98% higher adjusted incidence of HAP than women. IHM was higher in men admitted for CAP than in women (12.9% vs. 12.2%; p < 0.001), but not in men who developed HAP (28.9% vs. 28.0%; p = 0.107). Men admitted for CAP (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.10–1.15) and men who developed HAP (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01–1.10) had higher IHM than women. (4) Conclusions: men had higher incidence rates of CAP and HAP than women. Men admitted for CAP and men who developed HAP had higher IHM than women.

Effectiveness of Pneumococcal Vaccination Against Hospitalized Pneumococcal Pneumonia in Older Adults: A Prospective, Test-Negative Study

BACKGROUND

Despite use of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) over the last decade, the disease burden of pneumococcal pneumonia is still high. We evaluated the field effectiveness of PCV13, PPSV23, and sequential vaccination against pneumococcal pneumonia in older adults.

METHODS

This prospective multicenter study was conducted in adults aged ≥ 65 years with hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) between September 2015 and August 2017. The case-control test-negative design was used to estimate vaccine effectiveness (VE) against pneumococcal CAP.

RESULTS

Of 1,525 cases with hospitalized CAP, 167 (11.0%) were identified as pneumococcal CAP. In the elderly aged ≥65 years, the adjusted VE of pneumococcal vaccines against pneumococcal CAP was statistically insignificant: 40.0% (95% CI -10.8% to 67.5%) for PCV13 and 11.0% (95% CI, -26.4% to 37.3%) for PPSV23. However, in the younger subgroup (aged 65-74 years), sequential PCV13/PPSV23 vaccination showed the highest adjusted VE of 80.3% (95% CI 15.9% to 95.4%), followed by single-dose PCV13 (adjusted VE 66.4%; 95% CI 0.8% to 88.6%) and PPSV23 (adjusted VE 18.5%; 95% CI -38.6% to 52.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Sequential PCV13/PPSV23 vaccination is most effective for preventing pneumococcal CAP among the elderly aged 65-74 years.

Characteristics and Epidemiology of Discharged Pneumonia Patients in South Korea Using the Korean National Hospital Discharge In-Depth Injury Survey Data from 2006 to 2017

Despite the use of vaccines and various antibiotics, approximately 30% of the South Korean population is treated for pneumonia each year, and the number of deaths from pneumonia continues to increase. The present study used information on discharged patients in South Korea to investigate the number and characteristics of discharged pneumonia patients across 12 years. Using the Korean National Hospital Discharge In-Depth Injury Survey data, information on discharged patients from 2006 to 2017 were collected. The number of discharged pneumonia patients for each year and their age group was assessed, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index was used to assess the risk of comorbidities in these patients. The number of discharged pneumonia patients varied every year in South Korea. In particular, the total number of patients increased substantially in 2011, with a large increase in the number of infants and children. In addition, the number of discharged pneumonia patients increased in the elderly group compared to the other age groups. Moreover, a recent increase in the severity of comorbidities in pneumonia patients was noted. Given the continued increase in the number of elderly patients with pneumonia, chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, should be managed first in the elderly. Moreover, appropriate treatment methods should be selected based on the presence of comorbidities.

Characteristics of aspiration pneumonia patients in acute care hospitals: A multicenter, retrospective survey in Northern Japan

BACKGROUND

Pneumonia is a common cause of illness and death of the elderly in Japan. Its prevalence is escalating globally with the aging of population. To describe the latest trends in pneumonia hospitalizations, especially aspiration pneumonia (AP) cases, we assessed the clinical records of pneumonia patients admitted to core acute care hospitals in Miyagi prefecture, Japan.

METHODS

A retrospective multi-institutional joint research was conducted for hospitalized pneumonia patients aged ≥20 years from January 2019 to December 2019. Clinical data of patients were collected from the medical records of eight acute care hospitals.

RESULTS

Out of the 1,800 patients included in this study, 79% of the hospitalized pneumonia patients were aged above 70 years. The most common age group was in the 80s. The ratio of AP to total pneumonia cases increased with age, and 692 out of 1,800 patients had AP. In univariate analysis, these patients had significantly older ages, lower body mass index (BMI), a lower ratio of normal diet intake and homestay before hospitalization, along with more AP recurrences and comorbidities. During hospitalization, AP patients had extended fasting periods, more swallowing assessments and interventions, longer hospitalization, and higher in-hospital mortality rate than non-AP patients. A total of 7% and 2% AP patients underwent video endoscopy and video fluorography respectively. In multivariate analysis, lower BMI, lower C-reactive protein, a lower ratio of homestay before hospitalization, a higher complication rate of cerebrovascular disease, dementia, and neuromuscular disease were noted as a characteristic of AP patients. Swallowing interventions were performed for 51% of the AP patients who had been hospitalized for more than two weeks. In univariate analysis, swallowing intervention improved in-hospital mortality. Lower AP recurrence before hospitalization and a lower ratio of homestay before hospitalization were indicated as characteristics of AP patients of the swallowing intervention group from multivariate analysis. Change in dietary pattern from normal to modified diet was observed more frequently in the swallowing intervention group.

CONCLUSION

AP accounts for 38.4% of all pneumonia cases in acute care hospitals in Northern Japan. The use of swallowing evaluations and interventions, which may reduce the risk of dysphagia and may associate with lowering mortality in AP patients, is still not widespread.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia in western Saudi Arabia: A four-year retrospective analysis of medical records

BACKGROUND

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, especially for the elderly and people who suffer from chronic conditions. This study was conducted to assess the clinical and microbiological characteristics and disease outcomes associated with the occurrence of CAP.

METHODS

This retrospective chart review was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Cases with documented clinical diagnosis of CAP during the period from 2016 to 2019 were included. Data were collected on demographic, clinical, and microbiological characteristics, used antimicrobials and patients' outcomes, including length of hospital stay, intensive care unit admission, and mortality. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for increased length of hospital stay.

RESULTS

A total of two hundred and eighteen CAP episodes were identified. Patients had a median age of 64.5 years, and 54.1% were males. Microbiological diagnosis was established in 33 patients (15.1%). Admission to ICU and diagnosis of a neurological disease were significantly associated with longer hospital stay (>7 days). An average of 2.7 antimicrobials were used per patient, and the most common antibiotics used were Piperacillin/Tazobactam (46.3%), Doxycycline (44%), then Ceftriaxone (42.7%). Four patients (1.8%) died during hospital stay.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective analysis of CAP cases identified a lack of microbiological diagnosis and increased burden associated with disease severity and the need for hospitalization. The ability to identify CAP at an earlier stage will be a cornerstone to mitigate its impact on the healthcare system and ICU units.

Primary care consultations after hospitalisation for pneumonia: a large population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Up to 70% of patients report ongoing symptoms 4 weeks after hospitalisation for pneumonia; the impact on primary care is poorly understood.

AIM

To investigate the frequency of primary care consultations after hospitalisation for pneumonia, and the reasons for consultation.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A population-based cohort study in England using a UK primary care database of anonymised medical records (Clinical Practice Research Datalink [CPRD]) linked to Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).

METHOD

Adults with the first International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) code for pneumonia (J12-J18) recorded in HES between July 2002 and June 2017 were included. Primary care consultation within 30 days of discharge was identified as the recording of any medical Read code (excluding administration-related codes) in CPRD. Competing-risks regression analyses were conducted to determine the predictors of consultation and antibiotic use at consultation; death and readmission were competing events. Reasons for consultation were examined.

RESULTS

Of 56 396 adults, 55.9% (n = 31 542) consulted primary care within 30 days of hospital discharge. The rate of consultation was highest within 7 days (4.7 per 100 person-days). The strongest predictor for consultation was a higher number of primary care consultations in the year before index admission (adjusted subhazard ratio [sHR] 8.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.42 to 12.55). The most common reason for consultation was for a respiratory disorder (40.7%, n = 12 840), 11.8% for pneumonia specifically. At consultation, 31.1% (n = 9823) received further antibiotics. Penicillins (41.6%, n = 5753/13 829) and macrolides (21.9%, n = 3029/13 829) were the most common antibiotics prescribed.

CONCLUSION

Following hospitalisation for pneumonia, a significant proportion of patients consulted primary care within 30 days, highlighting the morbidity experienced by patients during recovery from pneumonia.

The risk factors and incidence of major infectious diseases in patients with ankylosing spondylitis receiving tumor necrosis factor inhibitors

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the risk factor and incidence of infections in patients receiving tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) therapy for ankylosing spondylitis using data from the national health insurance service.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study. Data regarding patients with ankylosing spondylitis prescribed TNFis were obtained from an insurance claims database of the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service in Korea. Outcomes used were incidence rates of serious infection, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and herpes zoster during the follow-up period as well as the relationship between each TNFi and sex, hazard ratio (HR) of infection-related risk factors, and incidence of infections.

RESULTS

A total of 2515 patients were included. There were no significant differences among the hazard ratios of TNFis for serious infection, pneumonia, and herpes zoster. However, the hazard ratio of tuberculosis was significantly higher for infliximab than for etanercept (adjusted HR 8.40 [95% confidence interval: 1.06-66.91]). In the subgroup analysis by sex, women treated with golimumab had a significantly higher hazard of herpes zoster than those treated with etanercept (adjusted HR 12.40 [95% confidence interval: 1.40-109.58]).

CONCLUSION

We recommend that risk factors for these infectious diseases be identified prior to prescribing TNFis in these patients.

Stagnation of life expectancy in Korea in 2018: A cause-specific decomposition analysis

According to the most recent annual report released by Korea Statistics, the life expectancy at birth (for both sexes) in 2018 was 82.7 years, an increase of 0.0 years over 2017, reflecting the first stagnation in life expectancy since 1960. In this study, a time-series analysis was conducted of trends in life expectancy from 2003 to 2018, and causes of death were analyzed using the Kannisto-Thatcher method and the Arriaga decomposition method. The time trend analysis of yearly life expectancy changes indicated that, in Korea, there was a tendency for the yearly increase in life expectancy between 2003 and 2018 to decrease by 0.0211 years per calendar year. The contribution of cardiovascular diseases, the most important contributor to the life expectancy increase in Korea, gradually decreased over this period. The contribution of cardiovascular diseases to the life expectancy increase was 0.506 years in 2003-2006, but this contribution decreased to 0.218 years in 2015-2018. The positive contributions of ill-defined causes and external causes to life expectancy increase detected in previous periods were not evident in 2015-2018. Diseases of the respiratory system made the largest negative contribution both between 2015 and 2018 and between 2017-2018. The life expectancy stagnation in 2018 could be understood as the combined effect of (a) decreasing momentum in the increase of life expectancy and (b) a chance event in 2018 involving life expectancy. Currently, it is difficult to judge whether the stagnation of life expectancy in 2018 is temporary, and further analyses of life expectancy and contributing causes of death in the future are needed.

Epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia in the era of extended serotype-covering multivalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines

BACKGROUND

South Korea has been providing 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine/(PCV10)/13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) to children and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) to older adults as part of a national immunization program.

METHODS

From September 2015 to August 2017, a prospective cohort study was conducted for adults aged ≥19 years with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) at four university hospitals. All-cause and pneumococcal CAP incidence and mortality rates were evaluated on the basis of hospital catchment population. Serotype distribution of pneumococcal CAP was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Among 2669 patients with CAP, 252 cases (9.4%) were pneumococcal CAP cases. The annual incidences of all-cause and pneumococcal CAP were 194.3 cases and 18.3 cases respectively, per 100,000 persons. Serotyped Streptococcus pneumoniae was identified in 107 cases (42.5%) through culture or a serotype-specific urinary antigen detection assay. Pneumococcal CAP caused by the PCV13 and PPSV23 serotypes were 50 cases (46.7% of serotyped pneumococcal CAP and 19.8% of pneumococcal CAP), and 83 cases (77.6% of serotyped pneumococcal CAP and 32.9% of pneumococcal CAP), respectively. The most prevalent serotype was 3 (n = 21, 19.6% of serotyped pneumococcal CAP), followed by 19A (n = 10, 9.3% of serotyped pneumococcal CAP) and 11A (n = 10, 9.3% of serotyped pneumococcal CAP). Compared with non-pneumococcal CAP patients, pneumococcal CAP patients were more likely to have a higher CURB-65 scores (P = 0.002). The overall 30-day mortality rate of pneumococcal CAP was higher than that of non-pneumococcal CAP (6.3% versus 5.6%; odds ratio [OR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-1.96), but this trend was reversed in patients aged 65-74 years (4.2% versus 8.6%; OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.14-1.54).

CONCLUSIONS

The disease burden of PCV13-serotype pneumococcal CAP remains significantly high in Korean adults, particularly among elderly people, even after a high uptake of pediatric PCVs.

Electronically delivered interventions to reduce antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections in primary care: cluster RCT using electronic health records and cohort study

BACKGROUND

Unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics in primary care is contributing to the emergence of antimicrobial drug resistance.

OBJECTIVES

To develop and evaluate a multicomponent intervention for antimicrobial stewardship in primary care, and to evaluate the safety of reducing antibiotic prescribing for self-limiting respiratory infections (RTIs).

INTERVENTIONS

A multicomponent intervention, developed as part of this study, including a webinar, monthly reports of general practice-specific data for antibiotic prescribing and decision support tools to inform appropriate antibiotic prescribing.

DESIGN

A parallel-group, cluster randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

The trial was conducted in 79 general practices in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD).

PARTICIPANTS

All registered patients were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the rate of antibiotic prescriptions for self-limiting RTIs over the 12-month intervention period.

COHORT STUDY

A separate population-based cohort study was conducted in 610 CPRD general practices that were not exposed to the trial interventions. Data were analysed to evaluate safety outcomes for registered patients with 45.5 million person-years of follow-up from 2005 to 2014.

RESULTS

There were 41 intervention trial arm practices (323,155 patient-years) and 38 control trial arm practices (259,520 patient-years). There were 98.7 antibiotic prescriptions for RTIs per 1000 patient-years in the intervention trial arm (31,907 antibiotic prescriptions) and 107.6 per 1000 patient-years in the control arm (27,923 antibiotic prescriptions) [adjusted antibiotic-prescribing rate ratio (RR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78 to 0.99; p = 0.040]. There was no evidence of effect in children aged < 15 years (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.12) or adults aged ≥ 85 years (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.18). Antibiotic prescribing was reduced in adults aged between 15 and 84 years (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.95), that is, one antibiotic prescription was avoided for every 62 patients (95% CI 40 to 200 patients) aged 15-84 years per year. Analysis of trial data for 12 safety outcomes, including pneumonia and peritonsillar abscess, showed no evidence that these outcomes might be increased as a result of the intervention. The analysis of data from non-trial practices showed that if a general practice with an average list size of 7000 patients reduces the proportion of RTI consultations with antibiotics prescribed by 10%, then 1.1 (95% CI 0.6 to 1.5) more cases of pneumonia per year and 0.9 (95% CI 0.5 to 1.3) more cases of peritonsillar abscesses per decade may be observed. There was no evidence that mastoiditis, empyema, meningitis, intracranial abscess or Lemierre syndrome were more frequent at low-prescribing practices.

LIMITATIONS

The research was based on electronic health records that may not always provide complete data. The number of practices included in the trial was smaller than initially intended.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found evidence that, overall, general practice antibiotic prescribing for RTIs was reduced by this electronically delivered intervention. Antibiotic prescribing rates were reduced for adults aged 15-84 years, but not for children or the senior elderly.

FUTURE WORK

Strategies for antimicrobial stewardship should employ stratified interventions that are tailored to specific age groups. Further research into the safety of reduced antibiotic prescribing is also needed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN95232781.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 23, No. 11. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

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.

METHODS

We 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.

RESULTS

Our 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).

CONCLUSIONS

Although 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.

Hospital admissions for community-acquired, ventilator-associated and nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia in COPD patients in Spain (2016-2017)

BACKGROUND

To examine the incidence, characteristics and outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) in patients with or without COPD; compare in-hospital outcomes; and identify factors associated with in-hospital mortality (IHM) for pneumonia.

METHODS

We carried out a retrospective observational study using the hospital discharge records from 2016-17 of the Spanish National Health System. Propensity score matching was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

We found 245,905 patients (≥40 years) with pneumonia; we identified CAP in 228,139 patients (19.85% with COPD), VAP in 2,771 patients (8.55% with COPD) and NV-HAP in 14,995 patients (14.17% with COPD). The incidence for the three types of pneumonia was higher in COPD patients (CAP: incidence rate ratio (IRR) 2.23, 95% CI 2.21-2.26; VAP: IRR 1.25, 95% CI 1.08-1.42; and NV-HAP: IRR 1.55, 95% CI 1.48-1.63). The IHM for CAP was 10.35% in COPD patients and 12.91% in the controls (p<0.001). In patients with VAP and NV-HAP, IHM was not significantly different between those with and without COPD (43.88% vs. 41.77%;p=0.643 and 29.21% vs. 30.57%;p=0.331, respectively). Factors associated with IHM for all types of pneumonia analyzed in COPD patients were older age and receiving dialysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of hospitalizations for all types of pneumonia was significantly higher in COPD patients than in the non-COPD population. In contrast, IHM was significantly lower among COPD patients with CAP than among matched non-COPD patients. Higher mortality rates in COPD patients with any pneumonia type were associated with increasing age and receiving dialysis.

Do-not-resuscitate orders in patients with community-acquired pneumonia: a retrospective study

Background

To investigate the use of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and the association with mortality.

Methods

We assembled a cohort of 1317 adults hospitalized with radiographically confirmed CAP in three Danish hospitals. Patients were grouped into no DNR order, early DNR order (≤48 h after admission), and late DNR order (> 48 h after admission). We tested for associations between a DNR order and mortality using a cox proportional hazard model adjusted for patient and disease related factors.

Results

Among 1317 patients 177 (13%) patients received a DNR order: 107 (8%) early and 70 (5%) late, during admission. Patients with a DNR order were older (82 years vs. 70 years, p < 0.001), more frequently nursing home residents (41% vs. 6%, p < 0.001) and had more comorbidities (one or more comorbidities: 73% vs. 59%, p < 0.001). The 30-day mortality was 62% and 4% in patients with and without a DNR order, respectively. DNR orders were associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality after adjustment for age, nursing home residency and comorbidities. The association was modified by the CURB-65 score Hazard ratio (HR) 39.3 (95% CI 13.9–110.6), HR 24.0 (95% CI 11.9–48,3) and HR 9.4 (95% CI: 4.7–18.6) for CURB-65 score 0–1, 2 and 3–5, respectively.

Conclusion

In this representative Danish cohort, 13% of patients hospitalized with CAP received a DNR order. DNR orders were associated with higher mortality after adjustment for clinical risk factors. Thus, we encourage researcher to take DNR orders into account as potential confounder when reporting CAP associated mortality.

Hospitalization direct cost of adults with community-acquired pneumonia in Portugal from 2000 to 2009

INTRODUCTION

Hospitalizations due to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in mainland Portugal from 2000 to 2009 accounted for 3.7% of all hospital admissions in population with 18 or more years of age. There is no direct-cost data regarding these admissions.

METHODS

In this observational descriptive study all adult hospitalizations associated with CAP diagnosis were retrospectively analyzed for the period between 2000 and 2009. Patients under 18 years old, those with pneumonia as secondary diagnosis, patients with tuberculous or obstructive pneumonia, and immunocompromised patients were excluded from the study. The direct cost of hospitalization was calculated according to the diagnosis-related groups (DRG), established for the respective year of hospitalization.

RESULTS

There were 294,026 hospital admissions with an average annual direct cost of 80 million Euros, which almost doubled between 2000 and 2009. The average direct hospitalization costs per admission, including wards and Intensive Care Units (ICU), amounted to €2,707, with an increasing trend. The average hospitalization cost was €2,515 for admissions resulting in live discharge, and €3,457 for the deceased.

CONCLUSION

The average direct cost of adult hospitalizations associated with CAP amounted to €2,707 in mainland Portugal from 2000 to 2009, showing an increase of 37.5% in hospitalization cost of living and deceased patients. The economic impact of CAP-related hospital admissions justifies the need for better implementation of preventive measures.

Psychotropic Drug-Associated Pneumonia in Older Adults

The use of psychotropic drugs (antipsychotics, benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-related drugs, and antidepressants) is common, with a prevalence estimates range of 19-29% among community dwelling older adults. These drugs are often prescribed for off-label use, including neuropsychiatric symptoms. The older adult population also has high rates of pneumonia and some of these cases may be associated with adverse drug events. In this narrative review, we summarize the findings from current observational studies on the association between psychotropic drug use and pneumonia in older adults. In addition to studies assessing the use of psychotropics, we included antiepileptic drugs, as they are also central nervous system-acting drugs, whose use is becoming more common in the aging population. The use of antipsychotics, benzodiazepine, and benzodiazepine-related drugs are associated with increased risk of pneumonia in older adults (≥ 65 years of age), and these findings are not limited to this age group. Minimal and conflicting evidence has been reported on the association between antidepressant drug use and pneumonia, but differences between study populations make it difficult to compare findings. Studies regarding antiepileptic drug use and risk of pneumonia in older persons are lacking, although an increased risk of pneumonia in antiepileptic drug users compared with non-users in persons with Alzheimer's disease has been reported. Tools such as the American Geriatric Society Beers Criteria and the STOPP/START criteria for potentially inappropriate medications aids prescribers to avoid these drugs in order to reduce the risk of adverse drug events. However, risk of pneumonia is not mentioned in the current criteria and more research on this topic is needed, especially in vulnerable populations, such as persons with dementia.

Gender differences in community-acquired pneumonia

INTRODUCTION

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common type of lower respiratory tract infection and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in adults worldwide. Sex and gender play an active role in the incidence and outcomes of major infectious diseases, including CAP.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

We searched the following electronic databases from January 2001 to December 2018: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINHAIL, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central register of Controlled Trials), DARE (Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and ACP Journal Club database.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Several studies have reported higher male susceptibility to pulmonary infections and higher risk of death due to sepsis. Biological differences (e.g. hormonal cycles and cellular immune-mediated responses) together with cultural, behavioral and socio-economic differences are important determinants of the course and outcome of CAP. However, gender-related bias in the provision of care and use of hospital resources has been reported among women, resulting in delayed hospital admission and consequently necessary care.

CONCLUSIONS

CAP is more severe in males than in females, leading to higher mortality in males, especially in older age. To identify gender differences in CAP can guide patient's prognostication and management.

Molecular Imaging of Pulmonary Inflammation and Infection

Infectious and inflammatory pulmonary diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although infrequently used in this setting, molecular imaging may significantly contribute to their diagnosis using techniques like single photon emission tomography (SPET), positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the support of specific or unspecific radiopharmaceutical agents. ¹⁸F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG), mostly applied in oncological imaging, can also detect cells actively involved in infectious and inflammatory conditions, even if with a low specificity. SPET with nonspecific (e.g., ⁶⁷Gallium-citrate (⁶⁷Ga citrate)) and specific tracers (e.g., white blood cells radiolabeled with ¹¹¹Indium-oxine (¹¹¹In) or ^99mTechnetium (^99mTc)) showed interesting results for many inflammatory lung diseases. However, ⁶⁷Ga citrate is unfavorable by a radioprotection point of view while radiolabeled white blood cells scan implies complex laboratory settings and labeling procedures. Radiolabeled antibiotics (e.g., ciprofloxacin) have been recently tested, although they seem to be quite unspecific and cause antibiotic resistance. New radiolabeled agents like antimicrobic peptides, binding to bacterial cell membranes, seem very promising. Thus, the aim of this narrative review is to provide a comprehensive overview about techniques, including PET/MRI, and tracers that can guide the clinicians in the appropriate diagnostic pathway of infectious and inflammatory pulmonary diseases.

Factors associated with in-hospital mortality from community-acquired pneumonia in Portugal: 2000-2014

Background

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, often leading to hospital admissions. In Portugal, the factors associated with in-hospital mortality due to CAP are not fully documented. The aim of this study was to characterize the trends of CAP hospitalization in all age groups and the factors associated with their mortality between 2000 and 2014.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study using CAP hospitalization data in all age groups, in Portugal Mainland. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with in-hospital mortality.

Results

Between 2001 and 2011, CAP hospitalization rate increased from 2.8 to 4.3 per 1000 population. Hospitalization rates were higher in the extreme ages ( ≤ 4 and  ≥ 75 years). However, a decrease in the hospitalization rate and its mortality was observed, in the younger ages.

A total of 548,699 hospitalization CAP episodes, between 2000 and 2014, were analyzed, with male (56.2%) and elderly ≥65 years (91.7%) predominance, resulting in 101,740 deaths (18.5%). Men had a significantly lower mean age (64.3 ± 26.4 years versus 67.9 ± 27.5 years; p < 0.001). During the studied 15 years, there was an increase of 45.2% in the number of annual hospitalizations, concomitant with the admission increase of individuals aged over 75 years. Since 2012 a decrease in hospitalizations and associated deaths were detected.

The increase in age represented a progressive and significant rise in the probability of death, except for the age group 1–4 years. The age group ≥85 years old (Adjusted OR = 124.256; 95%CI: 97.838–157.807) and males (Adjusted OR = 1.261; 95%CI: 1.243–1.280) were significantly associated with death risk for CAP hospitalization. After 2010, this risk decreased (Adjusted OR = 0.961; 95%CI: 0.940–0.982). The main factors affecting mortality were age, sex, unemployment rate, number of performed procedures and admission quinquennia.

Conclusions

Despite a trend of decrease in CAP hospitalizations and associated death since 2012, the numbers of in-hospital mortality showed, in the 15 years under analysis, an overall increase over time, mainly associated with age, in particular very old people ( ≥ 75 years), males and a higher parish unemployment rate. Therefore, the implementation of CAP preventive measures should be reinforced in these vulnerable groups.

Monitoring of community-acquired pneumonia hospitalisations before the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine into Polish National Immunisation Programme (2009-2016): A nationwide retrospective database analysis

PURPOSE

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common infection with significant morbidity and mortality. In January 2017, Poland introduced pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) into their national immunisation programme to protect children against invasive pneumococcal disease. This study was designed to investigate pneumonia-related hospitalisation rates and trends from 2009 to 2016 prior to the introduction of nationally funded PCV vaccination.

METHODS

Using national public statistic data available from the National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, annual hospitalisation rates for pneumonia were analysed, categorised by aetiology and age (<2, 2-3, 4-5, 6-19, 20-59, 60+ years). Trends over time were assessed, as well as in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

The overall hospitalisation rate due to pneumonia varied between 325.9 and 372.2/100,000 population. Higher rates of hospitalisation were seen in older adults and children ≤5 years. Trends were observed when analysing hospitalisations by pneumonia aetiology within age groups: between 2009 and 2016, Streptococcus pneumoniae hospitalisations significantly increased for children aged <2, 2-3, and 4-5 years, from 5.3 to 12.4, 5.2 to 8.2, and 1.9 to 4.6/100,000 population respectively. Whereas hospitalisations due to Haemophilus influenzae pneumonia decreased significantly from 7.8 to 1.8 and 4.8 to 1.9/100,000 children aged <2 and 2-3 years respectively. The numbers of in-hospital deaths increased from 5578 in 2009 to 8149 in 2016, with >85% of deaths in the 60+ age group.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first national study of pneumonia hospitalisations in Poland, providing the baseline data from which to investigate the impact of the change in vaccination policy on pneumonia hospitalisations in Poland.

Pneumonia incidence trends in UK primary care from 2002 to 2017: population-based cohort study

Increasing hospital admissions for pneumonia have been reported recently but it is not known whether pneumonia incidence rates have increased in the community. To determine whether incidence rates of pneumonia increased in primary care in the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2017, an open cohort study was conducted using electronic health records from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Clinically diagnosed pneumonia, influenza pneumonia, pleural infection and clinically suspected pneumonia, defined as chest infection treated with antibiotics, were evaluated. Age-standardised and age-specific rates were estimated. Joinpoint regression models were fitted and annual percentage changes (APC) were estimated. There were 70.7 million person-years of follow-up with 120 662 episodes of clinically diagnosed pneumonia, 1 831 005 of clinically suspected pneumonia, 23 814 episodes of influenza pneumonia and 2644 pleural infections over 16 years. The incidence of clinically diagnosed pneumonia increased from 1.50 per 1000 person-years in 2002 to 2.22 per 1000 in 2017. From 2010 to 2017, the APC in age-standardised incidence was 5.1% (95% confidence interval 3.4-6.9) compared with 0.3% (-0.6 to 1.2%) before 2010. Clinically suspected pneumonia incidence rates increased from 2002 to 2008 with an APC 3.8% (0.8-6.9) but decreased with an APC -4.9% (-6.7 to -3.1) from 2009 to 2017. Influenza pneumonia increased in the epidemic year of 2009. There was no overall trend in pleural infection. The results show that clinically diagnosed pneumonia has increased in primary care but there was a contemporaneous decline in recording of clinically suspected pneumonia or 'chest infection'. Changes in disease labelling practice might partly account for these trends.

Estimating the True Burden of Legionnaires' Disease

Over the past decade, the reported incidence of Legionnaires' disease (LD) in the northeastern United States has increased, reaching 1-3 cases per 100,000 population. There is reason to suspect that this is an underestimate of the true burden, since LD cases may be underdiagnosed. In this analysis of pneumonia and influenza (P&I) hospitalizations, we estimated the percentages of cases due to Legionella, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by age group. We fitted mixed-effects models to estimate attributable percents using weekly time series data on P&I hospitalizations in Connecticut from 2000 to 2014. Model-fitted values were used to calculate estimates of numbers of P&I hospitalizations attributable to Legionella (and influenza and RSV) by age group, season, and year. Our models estimated that 1.9%, 8.8%, and 5.1% of total (all-ages) inpatient P&I hospitalizations could be attributed to Legionella, influenza, and RSV, respectively. Only 10.6% of total predicted LD cases had been clinically diagnosed as LD during the study period. The observed incidence rate of 1.2 cases per 100,000 population was substantially lower than our estimated rate of 11.6 cases per 100,000 population. Our estimates of numbers of P&I hospitalizations attributable to Legionella are comparable to those provided by etiological studies of community-acquired pneumonia and emphasize the potential for underdiagnosis of LD in clinical settings.

The association between vitamin D deficiency and community-acquired pneumonia: A meta-analysis of observational studies

Emerging evidence has shown that vitamin D deficiency may be related with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), but individually published studies showed inconclusive results. The aim of this study was to quantitatively summarize the association between vitamin D and the CAP.We conducted this meta-analysis though a systematic literature search of PubMed, Medline, and EMBASE up to 31 September 2018 with the following keywords 'vitamin D' or 'cholecalciferol' or '25-hydroxyvitamin D' or '25(OH)D' in combination with 'community-acquired pneumonia' or 'CAP' or 'pneumonia' with no limitations. This meta-analysis was performed following the guidelines of Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology. The association between vitamin D levels and CAP were measured as odds ratio (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD). Results were combined using a random-effect or a fix-effect meta-analysis, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore potential factors.Eight observational studies involving 20,966 subjects were included. In this meta-analysis, CAP patients with vitamin D deficiency (serum 25(OH)D levels <20 ng/mL) experienced a significantly increased risk of CAP (odds ratio (OR) = 1.64, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.00, 2.67), and an obvious decrease of -5.63 ng/mL (95% CI: -9.11, -2.14) in serum vitamin D was demonstrated in CAP patients. Sensitivity analysis showed that exclusion of any single study did not materially alter the overall combined effect.The evidence from this meta-analysis indicates an association between vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of CAP patients. However, well-designed trails are required to determine the explicit effect of vitamin D supplementation.

Outpatient management of community-acquired pneumonia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The first guidelines on community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) were published in 1993, but since then many of the challenges regarding the outpatient management of CAP persist. These include the difficulty in establishing the initial clinical diagnosis, its risk stratification, which will dictate the place of treatment, the empirical choice of antibiotics, the relative scarcity of novel antibiotics and the importance of knowing local microbiological susceptibility patterns.

RECENT FINDINGS

New molecular biology methods have changed the etiologic perspective of CAP, especially the contribution of virus. Lung ultrasound and biomarkers might aid diagnosis and severity stratification in the outpatient setting. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem that reinforces the importance of novel antibiotics. And finally, prevention and the use of anti-pneumococcal vaccine are instrumental in reducing the burden of disease.

SUMMARY

Most of CAP cases are managed in the community; however, most research comes from hospitalized severe patients. New and awaited advances might contribute to aid diagnosis, cause and assessment of patients with CAP in the community. This knowledge might prove decisive in the execution of stewardship programmes that maintain current antibiotics, safeguard future ones and reinforce prevention.

Enhanced avidity from a multivalent fluorescent antimicrobial peptide enables pathogen detection in a human lung model

Rapid in situ detection of pathogens coupled with high resolution imaging in the distal human lung has the potential to provide new insights and diagnostic utility in patients in whom pneumonia is suspected. We have previously described an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) Ubiquicidin (fragment UBI29-41) labelled with an environmentally sensitive fluorophore that optically detected bacteria in vitro but not ex vivo. Here, we describe further chemical development of this compound and demonstrate that altering the secondary structure of the AMP to generate a tri-branched dendrimeric scaffold provides enhanced signal in vitro and ex vivo and consequently allows the rapid detection of pathogens in situ in an explanted human lung. This compound (NBD-UBIdend) demonstrates bacterial labelling specificity for a broad panel of pathogenic bacteria and Aspergillus fumigatus. NBD-UBIdend demonstrated high signal-to-noise fluorescence amplification upon target engagement, did not label host mammalian cells and was non-toxic and chemically robust within the inflamed biological environment. Intrapulmonary delivery of NBD-UBIdend, coupled with optical endomicroscopy demonstrated real-time, in situ detection of bacteria in explanted whole human Cystic Fibrosis lungs.

The impact of childhood pneumococcal vaccination on hospital admissions in England: a whole population observational study

Background

Pneumococcal infections are major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We use routine hospital admissions data and time-series modelling analysis to estimate the impact of the seven and thirteen valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV7 and PCV13) on hospital admissions due to pneumococcal disease in England.

Methods

Hospital admissions for pneumococcal meningitis, bacteraemia and pneumonia between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2015 were identified from the national Hospital Episode Statistics database for all age groups in England. We model the impact of pneumococcal vaccination using interrupted time series analysis. Hospital admissions prior to vaccine introduction were extrapolated to predict the expected number of admissions in the absence of pneumococcal vaccines. Admissions avoided over time were estimated by comparing the fitted interrupted time series and the expected model for no vaccination in a Bayesian framework.

Results

Overall, there were 43,531 (95% credible interval (CrI): 36486–51,346) fewer hospital admissions due to bacteraemia, meningitis and pneumonia in England during the period from 2006 to 2015 than would have been expected if pneumococcal vaccines had not been implemented, with the majority of hospital admissions avoided due to pneumonia. Among young children reductions in meningitis were more common, while among adults reductions in pneumonia admissions were relatively more important, with no evidence for reduced bacteraemia and meningitis among older adults. We estimated that 981 (95% CrI: 391–2018), 749 (95% CrI: 295–1442) and 1464 (95% CrI: 793–2522) bacteraemia, meningitis and pneumonia related hospital admissions, respectively, were averted in children < 2 years of age.

Conclusions

Substantial reductions in hospital admissions for bacteraemia, meningitis and pneumonia in England were estimated after the introduction of childhood vaccination, with indirect effects being responsible for most of the hospital admissions avoided.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12879-019-4119-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Acute Respiratory Illness in Immunocompetent Patients

Acute respiratory illness, defined as cough, sputum production, chest pain, and/or dyspnea (with or without fever), is a major public health issue, accounting for millions of doctor office and emergency department visits every year. While most cases are due to self-limited viral infections, a significant number of cases are due to more serious respiratory infections where delay in diagnosis can lead to morbidity and mortality. Imaging plays a key role in the initial diagnosis and management of acute respiratory illness. This study reviews the current literature concerning the appropriate role of imaging in the diagnosis and management of the immunocompetent adult patient initially presenting with acute respiratory illness. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

Patient-reported outcome measures in the recovery of adults hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia: a systematic review

Symptomatic and functional recovery are important patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) that are increasingly used as trial end-points. This systematic review summarises the literature on PROMs in CAP.Comprehensive searches in accordance with the PRISMA statement were conducted to March 2017. Eligible studies included adults discharged from hospital following confirmed CAP and reporting PROMs.15 studies (n=5644 patients) were included; most were of moderate quality. Studies used a wide range of PROMs and assessment tools. At 4-6 weeks post-discharge, the commonest symptom reported was fatigue (45.0-72.6% of patients, three studies), followed by cough (35.3-69.7%) and dyspnoea (34.2-67.1%); corresponding values from studies restricted by age <65 years (two studies) were lower: fatigue 12.1-25.7%, cough 19.9-31.9% and dyspnoea 16.8-27.5%. Functional impairment 4 weeks post-discharge was reported in 18-51% of patients (two studies), while median time to return to normal activities was between 15 and 28 days (three studies).Substantial morbidity is reported by patients up to 6 weeks post-discharge. There is weak methodological consistency across existing studies. A core set of PROMs for use in future studies is suggested.

Inducible lung epithelial resistance requires multisource reactive oxygen species generation to protect against bacterial infections

Pneumonia remains a global health threat, in part due to expanding categories of susceptible individuals and increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistant pathogens. However, therapeutic stimulation of the lungs’ mucosal defenses by inhaled exposure to a synergistic combination of Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists known as Pam2-ODN promotes mouse survival of pneumonia caused by a wide array of pathogens. This inducible resistance to pneumonia relies on intact lung epithelial TLR signaling, and inducible protection against viral pathogens has recently been shown to require increased production of epithelial reactive oxygen species (ROS) from multiple epithelial ROS generators. To determine whether similar mechanisms contribute to inducible antibacterial responses, the current work investigates the role of ROS in therapeutically-stimulated protection against Pseudomonas aerugnosa challenges. Inhaled Pam2-ODN treatment one day before infection prevented hemorrhagic lung cytotoxicity and mouse death in a manner that correlated with reduction in bacterial burden. The bacterial killing effect of Pam2-ODN was recapitulated in isolated mouse and human lung epithelial cells, and the protection correlated with inducible epithelial generation of ROS. Scavenging or targeted blockade of ROS production from either dual oxidase or mitochondrial sources resulted in near complete loss of Pam2-ODN-induced bacterial killing, whereas deficiency of induced antimicrobial peptides had little effect. These findings support a central role for multisource epithelial ROS in inducible resistance against a bacterial pathogen and provide mechanistic insights into means to protect vulnerable patients against lethal infections.

Trends in the Incidence, Etiology, Treatment, and Outcomes of Pleural Infections in Adults Over a Decade in a Finnish University Hospital

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The aim of the study was to ascertain changes in the incidence, etiology, treatment, and outcomes of pleural infections over a decade in a Finnish University Hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients treated for pleural infections in Tampere University Hospital during 2000-2008 and 2012-2016 were included. The incidence rates and the epidemiologic data and medical history of patients, etiology of infection, and treatment trends and outcomes were compared between the cohorts.

RESULTS

The incidence of pleural infections increased from 4.4 during 2000-2008 to 9.9 during 2012-2016 per 100.000 patient-years, p < 0.001. The patients in the latter group were older, 63 versus 57 years, p = 0.001, and the prevalence of chronic lung disease, hypertension, heart failure, dyslipidemia, and immunosuppressive medication were higher. The causes of infection remained similar and pneumonia accounted for 70% of all cases. The identification rate of the microbe pathogens increased from 49% to 64%, p = 0.002, while the distribution of identified pathogens was unchanged. More patients in the latter cohort were treated operatively, 88.3% versus 80.9%, p = 0.005, and, in these, the proportion of thoracoscopic surgery was higher, 57.4% versus 8.0%, p < 0.001, and the delay to surgery shorter, 5 versus 7 days, p < 0.001. Radiologic outcomes were similar. The 30-day mortality rate was 3.1% during 2000-2008 and 5.1% during 2012-2016, p = 0.293.

CONCLUSION

The overall incidence of pleural infections has increased significantly while the causes of pleural infections and the distribution of pathogens remain unchanged. Contemporary patients are older with higher prevalence of comorbidities and more frequently undergo thoracoscopic surgery.