Effect of pneumococcal vaccination in hospitalized adults with community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND: Although 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (PPV) does not prevent community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), it might still improve outcomes in those who develop pneumonia. We tested this hypothesis using a population-based cohort of hospitalized patients with CAP. METHODS: From 2000 to 2002, we prospectively collected data on all adults with CAP admitted to 6 hospitals in Capital Health, the largest integrated health delivery system in Canada. Polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine status was ascertained by interview, medical record review, and contact with physicians and community health offices. The primary outcome was the composite of in-hospital mortality or intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Multivariable regression was used to determine the independent association between PPV use and outcomes, after adjusting for patient characteristics, pneumonia severity, and propensity scores. RESULTS: Of the 3415 patients with CAP (median age, 75 years), 46% were female, 62% had severe pneumonia, and 22% had prior PPV. Overall, 624 patients died or were admitted to an ICU. Polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine was protective from reaching this composite end point (73/760 [10%] vs 551/2655 [21%] for unvaccinated patients; P < .001), mostly a result of reduced ICU admission (2/760 [<1%] vs 349/2655 [13%]). The propensity-adjusted odds of death or ICU admission was 0.62 (95% confidence interval, 0.42-0.92; P = .02) for patients who had received PPV. Only 215 of 2416 patients (9%) eligible for PPV at hospital discharge were vaccinated. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CAP who had prior PPV had about a 40% lower rate of mortality or ICU admission compared with those who were not vaccinated. This provides additional support for recommending PPV to those at risk of pneumonia.     

Reading and interpretation of chest X-ray in adults with community-acquired pneumonia

IntroductionTraditional reading of chest X-rays usually has a low prognostic value and poor agreement.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the interobserver and intraobserver agreement using two reading formats in patients with community-acquired pneumonia, and to explore their association with etiology and clinical outcomes.MethodsA pulmonologist and a radiologist, who were blind to clinical data, interpreted 211 radiographs using a traditional analysis format (type and location of pulmonary infiltrates and pleural findings), and a quantitative analysis (pulmonary damage categorized from 0 to 10). For both, the interobserver and intraobserver agreement was estimated (Kappa statistic and intraclass correlation coefficient). The latter was assessed in a subsample of 25 radiographs three months after the initial reading. Finally, the observers made a joint reading to explore its prognostic usefulness via multivariate analysis.ResultsSeventy-four chest radiographs were discarded due to poor quality. With the traditional reading, the mean interobserver agreement was moderate (0.43). It was considered good when the presence of pleural effusion, and the location of the infiltrates in the right upper lobe and both lower lobes, were evaluated; moderate for multilobar pneumonia; and poor for the type of infiltrates. The mean intraobserver agreement for each reviewer was 0.71 and 0.5 respectively. The quantitative reading had an agreement between good and excellent (interobserver 0.72, intraobserver 0.85 and 0.61). Radiological findings were neither associated to a specific pathogen nor to mortality.ConclusionIn patients with pneumonia, the interpretation of the chest X-ray, especially the smallest of details, depends solely on the reader.     

Initial microbiologic studies did not affect outcome in adults hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia.

Microbiologic studies (MBSs) fail to identify a specific pathogen in more than 50% of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The 1993 American Thoracic Society guideline (ATS-GL) for the management of CAP advised selecting initial antibiotic regimens based on severity of illness and comorbidities. Our study evaluated the role of initial MBS in adult patients hospitalized with CAP and treated according to the ATS-GL. In 184 patients hospitalized at our facility for CAP in 1996, and treated according to the ATS-GL, 25 (14%) failed to respond to initial antibiotic regimens. In these nonresponders, there was no difference in mortality between those in whom antibiotics were changed empirically, and those with MBS-guided changes. We conclude that initial MBS may not be warranted in many adult patients admitted for CAP. Exceptions include patients with conditions that predispose to less common, more resistant pathogens.     

Influenza vaccination and risk of mortality among adults hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND: Influenza vaccination has been shown to reduce illness and all-cause mortality in vulnerable populations through the prevention of influenza infection. Attenuation of the severity of illness by vaccination has been reported for respiratory tract infections due to bacterial pathogens and would represent an important additional health benefit of influenza vaccination. We evaluated the impact of prior influenza vaccination on in-hospital mortality and other health outcomes among hospitalized adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). METHODS: Consecutive individuals hospitalized with CAP during "influenza season" (November to April, 1999-2003) at hospitals operated by Tenet HealthCare were identified using a database constructed to improve quality of patient care. Associations between vaccination status and all-cause in-hospital mortality were evaluated using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Among 17 393 adults hospitalized with CAP during the study period, 1590 (19% of those with recorded vaccine status) had a history of influenza vaccination in the current or most recent influenza season. Vaccine recipients were less likely to die in hospital of any cause than individuals without vaccination (odds ratio, 0.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.22-0.41). These effects remained significant after adjustment for the presence of comorbid illnesses and pneumococcal vaccination (adjusted odds ratio for death, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.43-0.87) and under widely varying assumptions about individuals with missing vaccination status. CONCLUSIONS: Prior influenza vaccination was associated with improved survival in hospitalized patients with CAP during influenza season. This observation, if confirmed by other studies, would represent an important additional benefit of enhanced influenza vaccine coverage.     

Normal resolution of community-acquired pneumonia.

Resolution of pneumonia has to be considered as two different phases: resolution of the acute illness and resolution of radiographic opacities. Age, comorbidities, immunosuppression, and etiological agent(s) are all important in determining whether the acute illness resolves; there is a considerable mortality rate from pneumonia requiring hospitalization. The major concern when there is slow radiographic resolution of pneumonia is the possibility of an underlying malignancy. In 96% of patients whose pneumonia has not resolved in 30 days, an underlying disease is found; emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or bronchogenic carcinoma are the most common. Normal resolution of community-acquired pneumonia has to be defined in terms of the severity of the illness, comorbidity (ies), and infecting pathogen(s).     

Discriminating inhalational anthrax from community-acquired pneumonia using chest radiograph findings and a clinical algorithm

BACKGROUND: Limiting the effects of a large-scale bioterrorist anthrax attack will require rapid and accurate detection of the earliest victims. We undertook this study to improve physicians' ability to rapidly detect inhalational anthrax victims. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study to compare chest radiograph findings from 47 patients from historical inhalational anthrax cases and 188 community-acquired pneumonia control subjects. We then used classification tree analyses to derive an algorithm of chest radiograph findings and clinical characteristics that accurately and explicitly discriminated between inhalational anthrax and community-acquired pneumonia. RESULTS: Twenty-two of the 47 patients from historical inhalational anthrax cases (46.8%) had reported chest radiograph findings. All 22 case patients (100%) had mediastinal widening, pleural effusion, or both. However, 16 case patients (72.7%) also had infiltrates. In comparison, all 188 community-acquired control subjects had reported chest radiographs. Of these, 127 control subjects (67.6%) had infiltrates, 43 control subjects (22.9%) had pleural effusions, and 15 control subjects (8.0%) had mediastinal widening. A derived algorithm with three predictor variables (chest radiograph finding of mediastinal widening, altered mental status, and elevated hematocrit) is 100% sensitive (95% confidence interval [CI], 73.5 to 100) and 98.3% specific (95% CI, 95.1 to 99.6). The derivation process used 12 patients with inhalational anthrax and 177 control subjects with community-acquired pneumonia who had information available for all three variables. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant chest radiograph differences between inhalational anthrax and community-acquired pneumonia, but none of the chest radiograph findings are both highly sensitive and highly specific. The derived clinical algorithm can improve physicians' ability to discriminate inhalational anthrax from community-acquired pneumonia, but its utility is limited to previously healthy individuals and its accuracy may be limited by missing values.     

Prevalence of Mycoplasma and Chlamydia pneumonia in severe community-acquired pneumonia among hospitalized children in Thailand

Pneumonia is the leading cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality worldwide, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae are the two most common atypical pathogens. This study was designed to determine the prevalence and clinical impact of mycoplasma and chlamydia pneumonia in children hospitalized with severe pneumonia. Children 1 month-15 years old with a diagnosis of severe pneumonia (WHO criteria) were recruited between March 2005 and March 2006. Serologic studies were performed for anti-M. pneumoniae and anti-C. pneumoniae IgG/M on admission and 2-4 weeks afterward using ELISA. Of 52 patients, 13 (25%) were positive for Mycoplasma, 8 (15%) were positive for Chlamydia, 4 (7.6%) were positive for a mixed infection and 27 (52%) were negative. The subjects' mean age was 23.8+/-4.1 months. The mean of initial oxygen saturation on admission was 87.5+/-1.2%. Fever and prolonged cough were the leading symptoms. The mean of hospitalization was 18.8+/-2.6 days, chlamydia pneumonia had the longest duration, 30+/-10.2 days and 13/52 (25%) study subjects developed respiratory failure. Only 10% were treated with adequate antibiotic prior to serologic results. There was one mortality (1/52, 2%). Our study suggests that mycoplasma and chlamydia infections are commonly found among children hospitalized with severe pneumonia. Coverage with an appropriate antibiotic should be considered to hasten recovery.     

Predictors of symptom resolution in patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

Previous studies have demonstrated that a substantial number of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) experienced CAP-related symptoms up to 3 months after the completion of antibiotic treatment. We evaluated the frequency of symptoms in a cohort of 535 patients with CAP who presented to a hospital emergency department and completed symptom questionnaires 2 and 6 weeks after the completion of a course of antibiotic therapy. Six weeks after cessation of antibiotic therapy, 64% of patients still reported > or = 1 CAP-related symptoms. Exploratory analyses were performed to identify potential predictors of complete symptom resolution. Logistic regression analysis identified younger age, absence of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and levofloxacin treatment as predictors of complete symptom resolution (all P < .05). Randomized controlled trials should be performed to evaluate the relative efficacy of different antibiotic therapies on the rate of resolution of symptoms.     

Characteristics of low-risk patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND: Despite the wide distribution of different severity scoring systems for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients, low-risk patients are frequently hospitalized, contrary to current recommendations. The aim of our study was to determine the rate, clinical characteristics, and outcome of low-risk patients with CAP admitted to our institution. METHODS: During an 18-month period, we prospectively screened all patients admitted to the Division of Internal Medicine with a presumptive diagnosis of CAP. Pneumonia Outcome Research Team (PORT) score and pneumonia severity index (PSI) were calculated for all patients during the first 24 h. RESULTS: A total of 591 patients had a diagnosis of CAP. Some 196 patients (33.1%) were low-risk (PSI class I, II), 98 (16.6%) intermediate (PSI III), and 297 (50.3%) high-risk patients (PSI IV, V). Patients in low-risk classes were younger (45.5+/-15.8 vs. 65.0+/-12.5 and 74.9+/-11.8 years, respectively, p<0.001) and had fewer background diseases. They had shorter hospitalizations than intermediate- and high-risk groups (4.4+/-3.2, 5.3+/-3.4, and 6.8+/-6.4 days, respectively, p<0.001). There was a significant difference in 30-day mortality between the different risk groups: 0% in the low-risk, 2.0% in the intermediate-risk, and 9.4% in the high-risk group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The considerable proportion of low-risk patients hospitalized due to CAP was found to be comparable to the stable 30% rate reported in the literature. We conclude that physicians tend to opt for a wide safety range when considering a CAP patient hospitalization, rather than make a decision based only on severity score calculation.     

Early mobilization of patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine if early mobilization (EM) of hospitalized adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) reduces hospital length of stay. DESIGN: Group randomized trial. SETTING: Three Midwestern hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred fifty-eight patients with CAP admitted to 17 general medical units between November 1997 and April 1998. INTERVENTION: EM was defined as sitting out of bed or ambulating for at least 20 min during the first 24 h of hospitalization. Progressive mobilization occurred each subsequent day during hospitalization. Measurements and results: Intervention (n = 227) and usual-care patients (n = 231) were similar in age, gender, disease severity, door-to-drug delivery time, and IV-to-po switchover time. Hospital length of stay for EM vs usual care was significantly less (mean, 5.8 vs 6.9 days; adjusted absolute difference, 1.1 days; 95% confidence interval, 0.0 to 2.2 days). There were no differences in adverse events or other secondary outcomes between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Like patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and total knee replacements, EM of hospitalized patients with CAP reduces overall hospital length of stay and institutional resources without increasing the risk of adverse outcomes.     

The comparison of patients with hospitalized health-care-associated pneumonia to community-acquired pneumonia

Health-care-associated pneumonia (HCAP) is defined as pneumonia that develops in patients with a history of recent hospitalization, hemodialysis as an outpatient, residence in a nursing home, outpatient intravenous therapy and home wound care. We aimed to compare the initial demographic characteristics, causative agents and prognosis between hospitalized HCAP and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients. HCAP and CAP patients hospitalized between 01 September 2008-01 September 2009 were evaluated retrospectively. Out of 187 patients (131 males, mean age 66.3 ± 14.3 years) who were hospitalized during one-year period, 98 were diagnosed as HCAP and 89 as CAP. Among HCAP patients, 64 (65.3%) had a history of hospitalization in the last 90 days, 26 (26.5%) received outpatient intravenous therapy, 17 (17.3%) had home wound care, 6 (6.1%) were on hemodialysis program in the last 30 days and 4 (4.1%) lived in a nursing home. The causative pathogen was detected in 39 (39.8%) HCAP and 8 (9.0%) CAP patients. The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii in HCAP, and Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae in CAP patients. Inappropriate empiric antibiotic treatment was documented in 8 (25.8%) of 39 HCAP patients, in whom a causative agent was isolated whereas the antibiotic treatment was appropriate in all CAP patients. The duration of hospitalization (14.4 ± 11.4 vs. 10.7 ± 7.9 days, p= 0.011) and mortality rate (34.7% vs. 9.0%, p< 0.001) were higher in HCAP compared with CAP patients. As HCAP is different than CAP in terms of patients' characteristics, causative microorganisms and prognosis, it should be considered in all patients hospitalized as CAP. Potentially drug-resistant microorganisms should be taken into consideration in the empirical antibiotic treatment of these patients.     

Impaired flow-mediated dilation in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia

BackgroundCommunity-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is complicated by cardiovascular events as myocardial infarction and stroke but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. We hypothesized that endothelial dysfunction may be implicated and that endotoxemia may have a role.MethodsFifty patients with CAP and 50 controls were enrolled. At admission and at discharge, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), serum levels of endotoxins and oxidative stress, as assessed by serum levels of nitrite/nitrate (NOx) and isoprostanes, were studied.ResultsAt admission, a significant difference between patients with CAP and controls was observed for FMD (2.1 ± 0.3 vs 4.0 ± 0.3%, p < 0.001), serum endotoxins (157.8 ± 7.6 vs 33.1 ± 4.8 pg/ml), serum isoprostanes (341 ± 14 vs 286 ± 10 pM, p = 0.009) and NOx (24.3 ± 1.1 vs 29.7 ± 2.2 μM). Simple linear correlation analysis showed that serum endotoxins significantly correlated with Pneumonia Severity Index score (Rs = 0.386, p = 0.006). Compared to baseline, at discharge CAP patients showed a significant increase of FMD and NOx (from 2.1 ± 0.3 to 4.6 ± 0.4%, p < 0.001 and from 24.3 ± 1.1 to 31.1 ± 1.5 μM, p < 0.001, respectively) and a significant decrease of serum endotoxins and isoprostanes (from 157.8 ± 7.6 to 55.5 ± 2.3 pg/ml, p < 0.001, and from 341 ± 14 to 312 ± 14 pM, p < 0.001, respectively). Conversely, no changes for FMD, NOx, serum endotoxins and isoprostanes were observed in controls between baseline and discharge. Changes of FMD significantly correlated with changes of serum endotoxins (Rs = − 0.315; p = 0.001).ConclusionsThe study provides the first evidence that CAP is characterized by impaired FMD with a mechanism potentially involving endotoxin production and oxidative stress.     

Severe community-acquired pneumonia in adults

Patients with severe community acquired pneumonia (CAP) need continuous surveillance and monitoring at intensive care units (ICU), where they can receive specialized support as mechanical ventilation and/or hemodynamic support. Patients that require ICU admittance represent 10 to 30% of all patients interned because a pneumonia. In this category, high complication rate, prolonged hospital stay and high mortality rate are the rule. The American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria for severe pneumonia establishes the following main criteria: necessity of mechanical ventilation and presence of septic shock; minor criteria: systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg, radiological multilobar involvement and PaO2/FiO2 < 250 mmHg. British Thoracic Society (BTS) criteria for severe CAP are: respiratory rate over 30 breaths/min, diastolic blood pressure under 60 mmHg, BUN > 20 mg/dl and mental confusion. In all patients with CAP it is recommended the evaluation of its severity at admission. This evaluation should be done in conjunction with an experienced physician, and if criteria for poor prognosis are met, an early admission to ICU is recommended. ATS and BTS modified criteria (CURB) are useful in this procedure. In severely ill patients with CAP it is recommended to perform the following microbiological analysis: sputum Gram stain and culture, blood culture, pleural fluid Gram stain and culture, if present and tapped, Legionella pneumophila urine antigen test, influenza A and B antigen detection tests (epidemic period: autumn and winter), and serology for atypical bacteria (Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae).     

Clinical management of immunocompetent hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia

Background: Clinical practices and guidelines may differ regarding the management of inpatients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods: The management of 152 consecutive CAP inpatients (70+/-17 years) admitted to a teaching hospital was analyzed retrospectively and compared with published data and an evidence-based guideline developed at our institution. Results: Of the patients studied, 64% had a high prognostic score index (PSI), 14% were admitted to the ICU, and 4.6% died. Initially, patients received either a one-drug (47%) or a two-drug (53%) antibiotic regimen. None of the 20 PSI parameters, and neither the PSI nor admission to the ICU, was associated with the initial antibiotic regimen. Agreement between current practice and our guideline was low (kappa=0.16). Following the recommendations would have led to a decrease of 51% in the initial two-drug regimen. The duration of i.v. antibiotherapy was higher in patients following the two-drug regimen (142+/-150 vs. 102+/-60 h, P<0.05). Chest physiotherapy (CP) and bronchodilatators (BD) were prescribed in 72% and 54% of cases, respectively (median duration 10 days). Conclusions: The variations observed in the clinical management of CAP inpatients were not in agreement with published guidelines. The overuse of a two-drug regimen, CP, and BD necessitates the development and implementation of evidence-based guidelines proposing detailed steps for the management of CAP inpatients.     

Epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia in adults

Respiratory diseases represent the third cause of death in Chilean population, after cardiovascular diseases and malignancy. Fifty percent of deaths caused by respiratory diseases in adults are attributable to pneumonia. In Chile, they represent the main cause of death due to infectious diseases and the first specific one in senescent adults over 80 years old. The incidence and mortality of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) increase in both extreme ages of life (less than one year old and over 65 years old). In the population over 65 years old, mortality is extremely increased, rising to rates of 6.6 deaths per 1.000 inhabitants. High variability in pneumonia hospitalization rate has been observed in different geographic areas, probably due to different medical criteria used to evaluate the severity of illness, access to healthcare systems and characteristics of the evaluated population. About 20% of patients affected with CAP require hospitalization due to the severity of pulmonary infection and to the risk of complications or death, and the necessity of healthcare resources are focused in these patients. Several clinical-epidemiological parameters able to modify clinical presentation and severity of pneumonia have been identified, such as advanced age, presence of co-morbidities, host immune competence, tobacco and alcohol consumption, place of acquiring the infection, etiology and environmental pollution.     

Treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in adults

Appropriate antibiotic treatment reduces the duration of symptoms associated to pneumonia, the risk of complications and mortality. In most cases, it is not possible to identify the etiologic agent so antibiotic treatment is empirically prescribed. In Chile, one third of Streptococcus pneumoniae strain isolates has diminished susceptibility to penicillin; in-vitro erythromycin resistance is about 10-15% and cefotaxime resistance 2-10%. It is recommended to classify patients with community acquired pneumonia in four risk categories: Group 1: patients under 65 years without co-morbidities, in ambulatory attendance. Treatment: oral amoxicillin 1 g TID, 7 days. Group 2: patients over 65 years and / or co-morbidities, in ambulatory attendance. Treatment: oral amoxicillin/clavulanate 500/125 mg TID or 875/125 mg BID, or cefuroxime 500 mg BID, 7 days. Group 3: patients admitted to general wards with criteria of moderate severity. Treatment: ceftriaxone 1-2 g once a day or cefotaxime 1 g TID, IV, 7-10 days. Group 4: patients with severe CAP that must be interned into ICU. Treatment: ceftriaxone 2 g once a day or cefotaxime 1 g TID, IV, associated to erythromycin 500 QID, levofloxacin 500-1.000 mg once a day, or moxifloxacin 400 mg/once a day, IV, 10-14 days. In the presence of allergy to or treatment failure with betalactam drugs and/or positive serology for Mycoplasma, Chlamydia or Legionella sp it is recommended to add: erythromycin 500 mg QID, IV or oral, oral clarithromycin 500 mg BID, or oral azythromycin 500 mg once a day.     

Prevention of community-acquired pneumonia in adults

Polysaccharide 23 valent pneumococcal vaccine commercially available from 1983 includes 23 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae, representing near 90% of strains involved in invasive pneumococcal disease in immune competent adults. Vaccine confers protection against invasive pneumococcal disease. Immunization is recommended in adults over 65 years old, in patients affected by chronic diseases (cardiopathies, COPD, nephropathies, diabetes mellitus, hepatic cirrhosis, chronic breakage in brain-blood barrier, functional or anatomical asplenia, alcoholism), in immunocompromised hosts, including HIV infection, chemotherapy treatment and hematological malignancies. Influenza vaccine is prepared with particulated antigens, including two influenza A strains and one influenza B strain, selected according to influenza epidemiological worldwide surveillance the year before. On account of continuous antigenic changes (drifts), it is necessary to modify the vaccine antigen's composition yearly. Cost/effectiveness evaluation has confirmed the efficacy of influenza vaccine in reducing morbidity and mortality associated to influenza epidemic and health economical resources involved in patient care. Besides, clinical trials have confirmed that immunization reduces the risk of acquiring pneumonia, of hospitalization and death in elderly people during the influenza epidemic, when vaccine antigenic composition is similar to the circulating strains. Vaccination is recommended annually in healthy adults over 65 years old, in patients with chronic diseases (cardiopathies, COPD, nephropathies, diabetes mellitus, hepatic cirrhosis, chronic breakage of blood-brain barrier, functional or anatomical asplenia, alcoholism). It is also recommended in women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the influenza season, in immunocompromised hosts, in institutionalized patients (geriatrics), health care workers, and travelers to geographical areas that are affected by the influenza epidemic.     

Effects of systemic steroids in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia.

The benefit of systemic steroids as adjunctive treatment in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of corticosteroid treatment on mortality in patients with severe CAP. A retrospective, observational study of a cohort of patients hospitalised with severe CAP, classes IV and V of the Prognostic Severity Index score, was carried out. Information on epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data, and 30-day mortality was collected from medical charts. Of the 308 patients evaluated, 238 (77%) were treated with standard antimicrobial therapy and 70 (23%) received both antibiotics and systemic steroids. Clinical characteristics were similar between steroid and nonsteroid groups, except in the prevalence of male sex and the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Systemic steroids were independently associated with a decreased mortality (odds ratio 0.287; 95% confidence interval 0.113-0.732), while severity of CAP (2.923; 1.262-6.770) was the only independent factor associated with increased mortality. Mortality decreased in the patients with severe CAP who received simultaneous administration of systemic steroids along with antibiotic treatment. Severity of community-acquired pneumonia remains the most important risk factor associated with increased mortality.