Community acquired legionella pneumophila pneumonia, clinical characteristics, outcomes and prognostic factors

BACKGROUND: Community Acquired Legionella Pneumophila Pneumonia (LP-CAP) has high morbidity and mortality. We collected patients with LP-CAP and reviewed their characteristics, clinical course and prognostic factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective observational study including all the patients hospitalized for LP-CAP for 14 years. LP -pneumonia was diagnosed using urinary antigen test. We collected clinical data, outcome and mortality prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: 213 patients (184; 86.4% males), mean age 55.7 years. 170 (79.8%) were smokers or exsmokers and 89 (41.8%) had comorbidities. The average length of the symptoms was 4.6 days and the most frequent of them were fever (92%) and cough (67.6%). 44 (20.7%) patients were in PSI class I, 58 (27.2%) class II, 45 (21.1%) class III, 50 (23.5%) class IV and 16 (7.5%) class V. The X-ray pattern was alveolar in all patients, 72 (33.8%) multilobar involvement and 11 (5.2%) pleural effusion. 50 (23.5%) had hyponatremia ( CONCLUSIONS: 1.In our series, the patients were mainly males, smokers and with few morbidities. 2.According to PSI, 47.9% had low risk. 3.The mortality in our patients was 7.5%. Age, multilobar X- ray involvement and MV were independent risk factors associated with worse prognosis.