Disease burden and prognostic factors for clinical failure in elderly community acquired pneumonia patients

Background The study was to evaluate initial antimicrobial regimen and clinical outcomes and to explore risk factors for clinical failure (CF) in elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods 3011 hospitalized elderly patients were enrolled from 13 national teaching hospitals between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 initiated by the CAP-China network. Risk factors for CF were screened by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results The incidence of CF in elderly CAP patients was 13.1%. CF patients were older, longer hospital stays and higher treatment costs than clinical success (CS) patients. The CF patients were more prone to present hyperglycemia, hyponatremia, hypoproteinemia, pleural effusion, respiratory failure and cardiovascular events. Inappropriate initial antimicrobial regimens in CF group were significantly higher than CS group. Undertreatment, CURB-65, PH < 7.3, PaO 2 /FiO 2 < 200 mmHg, sodium < 130 mmol/L, healthcare-associated pneumonia, white blood cells > 10,000/mm 3 , pleural effusion and congestive heart failure were independent risk factors for CF in multivariable logistic regression analysis. Male and bronchiectasis were protective factors. Conclusions Discordant therapy was a cause of CF. Early accurate detection and management of prevention to potential causes is likely to improve clinical outcomes in elderly patients CAP. Trial registration A Retrospective Study on Hospitalized Patients With Community-acquired Pneumonia in China (CAP-China) (RSCAP-China), NCT02489578. Registered 16 March 2015, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S0005E5S&selectaction=Edit&uid=U0000GWC&ts=2&cx=1bnotb