Misdiagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia and inappropriate utilization of antibiotics: side effects of the 4-h antibiotic administration rule

BACKGROUND: The 2003 Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) recommend the initiation of antibiotic therapy within 4 h of hospitalization. This quality indicator has been linked to the incentive compensation of third-party payers to hospitals. We evaluated the impact of this recommendation on the diagnosis of CAP and the utilization of antibiotics. METHODS: All patients with a hospital admission diagnosis of CAP before publication of the guidelines (January to June 2003) and after publication of the guidelines (January-June 2005) were included. We collected data on clinical signs and symptoms on presentation, chest radiograph findings, blood cultures prior to therapy with antibiotics, time to antibiotic administration, pneumonia severity index (PSI) score, confusion, urea, respiratory rate, BP, and age >or= 65 years (CURB-65), and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 518 patients were included in the study. More patients in 2005 had a hospital admission diagnosis of CAP without radiographic abnormalities compared to 2003 (2005, 91 patients [28.5%]; 2003, 41 patients [20.6%]; p = 0.04), and more patients received antibiotics within 4 h of triage (2005, 210 patients [65.8%]; 2003, 107 patients [53.8%]; p = 0.007). Blood cultures prior to antibiotic administration increased (2005, 220 patients [69.6%]; 2003, 93 patients [46.7%]; p < 0.001). However, the final diagnosis of CAP dropped to 58.9% in 2005 from 75.9% in 2003 (p < 0.001). The mean (+/- SD) antibiotic utilization per patient increased to 1.66 +/- 0.54 in 2005 compared to 1.39 +/- 0.58 in 2003 (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in PSI or CURB-65 scores, or mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Linking antibiotic administration within 4 h of hospital admission (as a quality indicator) to financial compensation may result in an inaccurate diagnosis of CAP, inappropriate utilization of antibiotics, and thus less than optimal care.     

The influence of the severity of community-acquired pneumonia on the usefulness of blood cultures

The value of blood cultures in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has been questioned. At issue is the potential for blood cultures to change management. We prospectively studied the yield and impact of blood cultures in patients admitted with CAP. Two hundred and nine subjects had at least two blood cultures prior to receiving antibiotics. The severity of CAP was graded using the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI). Twenty-nine patients (13.9%) had a pathogen identified by blood culture. The yield of blood cultures increased with PSI grade (I--5.3%, II--10.2%, III--10.3%, IV--16.1%, V--26.7%), as did the likelihood of blood cultures changing antibiotic therapy (I to III--0%, IV--9.7%, V--20.0%). One hundred and seventy-nine (85.6%) patients received a quinolone, limiting the impact of pathogens resistant to beta-lactams. Four of 16 patients (25.0%) with a culture (blood or sputum)-guided change in antibiotic therapy died, compared to five of 31 patients (16.1%) who had an empiric change. Blood cultures are of minimal value in mild to moderate CAP, and should be limited to patients with PSI grade IV or V CAP unless a specific risk factor for pathogens resistant to the empiric therapy is present.     

血清降钙素原监测在门诊治疗社区获得性肺炎中的作用

目的 探讨血清降钙素原(PCT)监测在门诊接受治疗的社区获得性肺炎(CAP)患者的抗生素使用中的临床意义.方法 选2006年11月-2008年2月符合CAP诊断标准的门诊接受治疗的CAP患者127例,随机分为PCT监测组(63例)和常规治疗组(64例),人选患者监测血清PCT水平.在相旧常规治疗的基础上,常规治疗组由经治医师按照我国CAP治疗指南决定抗生素治疗方案;PCT监测组按照血清PCT水平决定是否使用抗生素,在血清PCT≥0.25μg/L时进行抗生素治疗,PCT<0.25μg/L时不予抗生素治疗,之后复诊亦按照此标准决定是否继续使用抗生素.观察2组患者的临床治疗有效率、抗生素使用率、抗生索疗程及抗生素费用.结果 PCT监测组临床治疗有效率(92.1%)与常规治疗组(87.5%)相比差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),PCT监测组的抗生素使用率、抗生素疗程及抗生素费用均低于常规治疗组(P值均小于0.05),2组患者的预后无明显差异.结论 门诊接受治疗的CAP患者可以依据PCT水平指导抗生素应用,能够减少抗生素用量,缩短抗生素疗程,降低抗生素费用.     

Predictors of pneumonia severity in HIV-infected adults admitted to an Urban public hospital

Data on outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the HIV-infected population are mixed and the perception of worse outcomes in HIV may lead to excess hospitalization. We retrospectively evaluated the utility of the Pneumonia Severity Index, or PORT score, as a prediction rule for mortality in 102 HIV-infected adults hospitalized at an urban public hospital with CAP. Primary outcome was survival at 30 days. Secondary outcomes included survival on discharge, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, length of stay, and readmission within 30 days. The cohort was predominantly male (70%) with a mean age of 45.4 years (standard deviation [SD] ± 7.4). Mean CD4 cell count was 318 cells per microliter; 40 (39%) had CD4 less than 200 cells per microliter. Forty-three percent were on antiretroviral therapy at the time of admission and 31% on prophylactic antibiotics. Twelve patients had bacteremia on admission, predominantly with Streptococcus pneumoniae. Of the 46 patients with admission sputum cultures, 20 yielded an organism, most commonly Haemophilus influenzae and S. pneumoniae. Overall survival in the cohort was high, 96%. Most patients (81%) had a low PORT risk score (class I-III). PORT score predicted 30-day survival (p=0.01) and ICU admission (p=0.03), but antiretroviral use did not. In contrast to a prior study, we did not find that CD4 cell count predicted CAP outcome. Lack of stable housing was not associated with worse outcomes. The PORT score may be a valid tool to predict mortality and need for hospital admission in HIV-infected patients with CAP.     

Processes of care, illness severity, and outcomes in the management of community-acquired pneumonia at academic hospitals

BACKGROUND: Prompt antibiotic administration, oxygenation measurement, and blood cultures are generally considered markers of high-quality care in the inpatient management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). However, few studies have examined the relationship between prompt achievement of process-of-care markers and outcomes for patients with CAP. We examined whether antibiotic administration within 8 hours of hospital arrival, a blood culture within 24 hours, an oxygenation measurement within 24 hours, or performing blood cultures before giving antibiotics was associated with the following: (1) reaching clinical stability within 48 hours of hospital admission, (2) a decreased length of hospital stay, or (3) fewer inpatient deaths. METHODS: A retrospective medical record review identified 1062 eligible patients discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of CAP between December 1, 1997, and February 28, 1998, among 38 US academic hospitals. We assessed the independent relationship between each process marker and the 3 clinical outcomes, controlling for the Pneumonia Severity Index on admission. We also examined the relationship of pneumonia severity on admission to process marker achievement and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, there was no consistent or statistically significant relationship between achieving process markers and better clinical outcomes (P>.40 for all). We did observe that performing blood cultures within 24 hours was related to not achieving clinical stability within 48 hours (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-2.33). However, this finding likely reflects residual confounding by severity of illness, since increasing pneumonia severity on admission was associated with blood culture performance (P =.009) and with shorter times to antibiotic administration (P =.04). CONCLUSIONS: Achieving process-of-care markers was not associated with improved outcomes, but was related to the severity of pneumonia as assessed on admission. Our results highlight the difficulty in demonstrating a link between process-of-care markers and outcomes in observational studies of CAP. Randomized studies are needed to objectively evaluate the impact of process-of-care markers on CAP outcomes.     

Effect of macrolides as part of initial empiric therapy on length of stay in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND: The choice of antibiotics to treat community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is primarily empiric, and the effect of this choice on length of stay (LOS) and mortality is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of antibiotic choice on these outcomes in general medical patients hospitalized with CAP. METHODS: One hundred patients hospitalized with CAP were prospectively identified. Seventy-six met inclusion criteria and were entered into the study. After hospital discharge, each medical chart was examined by 2 independent physicians who verified the admitting diagnosis and entered the data for antimicrobial regimens, a CAP mortality prediction tool, a social and disposition index, and other health outcomes. Patients were stratified according to the antibiotic received. Simple regression techniques were used to examine the correlation between initial therapy, specifically, ceftriaxone sodium or a macrolide, and LOS and mortality. RESULTS: Patients who received macrolides within the first 24 hours of admission had a markedly shorter LOS (2.8 days) than those not so treated (5.3 days; P = .01). This effect diminished as the interval before administering macrolides increased. Including ceftriaxone as part of the initial therapy did not appear to affect LOS. Patients given a macrolide for initial treatment did not differ significantly from those not treated in terms of mean age, mortality prediction tool score, or Social and Disposition Index score. Eleven of the 12 patients who received macrolides also received a beta-lactam antibiotic. CONCLUSION: Use of macrolides as part of an initial therapeutic regimen appears to be associated with shorter LOS.     

Strategies for early discharge of the hospitalized patient with community-acquired pneumonia.

The treatment of the hospitalized patient with uncomplicated CAP is changing, to include a brief period of intravenous antibiotics followed by oral therapy. The Classification of Community-Acquired Pneumonia or CoCAP is a stratification tool that categorizes patients as low-risk pneumonia, unstable pneumonia, or complicated pneumonia. Use of validated hospital admission criteria, combined with the CoCAP algorithm and evolving criteria for switching patients from intravenous to oral therapy provides a structure for organizing treatment of patients with CAP for caregivers. Patients who can be discharged early are those from the unstable pneumonia group, which includes patients who have had reversal of their metabolic problems and stabilization of comorbid conditions, and who have not developed any serious pneumonia-related complications. Prolonged courses of intravenous antibiotic therapy are being replaced with 2 to 3 day courses of intravenous hydration and antibiotics; a switch to oral therapy and hospital discharge can be achieved after the patient tolerates one dose of oral therapy. Parameters to watch include vital signs and white blood cell count. Provided these parameters are improving, although they may not have returned to normal, the patient can be switched to oral therapy. Although patient treatment guidelines and critical pathways are becoming widespread in disease management, CAP is one disease in which prospective studies have demonstrated that a reduction in hospital stay is safe. Patients, caregivers, and administrators are happy with the reduction in hospital LOS. Other treatment protocols are being explored, including a single dose of intravenous antibiotic prior to oral switch and all-oral regimens employing the newer fluoroquinolones.     

One drug or two? Step‐down therapy after i.v. antibiotics for community‐acquired pneumonia

Background: The aim of the study was to describe the oral antibiotics prescribed as step‐down therapy for patients hospitalized for community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods: A comparative audit of patient records in a Sydney teaching hospital, a district referral hospital and a regional hospital was carried out. Patients older than 15 years admitted between 1 July 2004 and 31 December 2004 with a diagnosis of CAP were identified by diagnostic code. The medical records were reviewed for patient demographics, the specialty of the attending physician, comorbidities, adverse drug events, relevant microbiological results and the antibiotic therapy prescribed for the treatment of pneumonia. Cases were randomly selected from all pneumonia admissions, with approximately equal numbers from urban and regional hospitals. One hundred and ninety‐six admissions for CAP (in 193 patients) were included in this review. Patients were predominantly cared for by respiratory physicians (62%) and geriatricians (14%). Eighty‐nine per cent of patients received dual antibiotic therapy on admission. Results: For patients commenced on two antibiotics, 62% were prescribed two oral antibiotics after completing i.v. therapy, 27% were prescribed one oral agent and 11% were prescribed no step‐down therapy. Geographic location and the presence of a documented antibiotic allergy affected prescribing practice. Neither the specialty of the attending medical officer nor the identification of a likely pathogen affected prescribing practice. Conclusion: Although most of the patients with CAP were initially prescribed two antibiotics, there was considerable variability in whether one, two or no oral agents were prescribed as step‐down therapy.     

Previous outpatient antibiotic use in patients admitted to hospital for COPD exacerbations: room for improvement

Purpose

Several studies have analyzed factors associated to hospitalization in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. However, data are lacking on the quality of treatment received by patients prior to hospital admission. The present study analyzed how often patients requiring hospitalization for a COPD exacerbation had received previous treatment for the exacerbation, particularly antibiotics.

Methods

This was a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study conducted in 30 Spanish hospitals among COPD patients aged >40 years who were hospitalized for an acute exacerbation. Patients were grouped according to whether or not they had received treatment prior to admission and, subsequently, according to whether or not they had received antibiotics. Patient eligibility for antibiotic therapy was assessed using both national and European guidelines.

Results

The study population consisted of 298 patients, of which 277 (93 %) were men, with a mean [standard deviation (SD)] age of 69.1 (9.5) years. One hundred and thirty-three patients (45 %) had received treatment prior to admission; among these, 76/133 (57 %) had received antibiotic therapy. However, 81–91 % of these patients fulfilled criteria for this therapy. Antibiotic use was significantly associated with yellow or green–yellow sputum prior to the exacerbation, a higher number of exacerbations in the previous year, more visits to emergency departments, and bronchiectasis. On the other hand, 10–20 % of patients who did receive antibiotics were not eligible for this therapy according to guidelines.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a low rate of previous outpatient treatment and antibiotic use among patients with a COPD exacerbation requiring hospital admission.     

Limited role for outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia

Background and objective: This study examined the potential utility of outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) as a means of reducing the excessive number of patients hospitalized with low‐risk community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods: A prospective feasibility study was conducted, in which a selection algorithm was applied to a cohort of patients admitted with suspected CAP, to identify a group in whom admission may have been prevented by the use of OPAT. Numbers of potentially suitable patients, inpatient bed days saved and frequency of adverse events that may have led to readmission were measured. Results: There were 118 inpatients treated with confirmed CAP during the study period, of whom 27 had low‐risk disease (Pneumonia Severity Index grades I–III). Application of the selection algorithm identified eight (30% of those with low‐risk disease) patients who were potentially suitable for OPAT, and this group commonly experienced adverse events during follow up which may have resulted in readmission to hospital. Conclusions: In many hospitalized patients with CAP, outpatient therapy is precluded by either disease severity or active medical and psychosocial factors. This limits the role of OPAT as a tool for reducing the inpatient burden of CAP.     

The impact of blood cultures on antibiotic therapy in pneumococcal pneumonia

INTRODUCTION: The cost-effectiveness of blood cultures in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has been questioned. Although penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae is an increasing problem, penicillin therapy, where appropriate, reduces cost and may reduce antibiotic resistance. Blood cultures, however, can only reduce cost if physicians are prepared to alter therapy based on the results. We reviewed our experience to determine how often physicians changed management based on blood culture results positive for S pneumoniae. METHODS: Retrospective chart review was performed of all CAP admissions between January 1996 and December 1998 with blood culture results positive for S pneumoniae. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients out of 1,805 patients admitted with CAP during this period had pneumococcemia. Penicillin resistance was identified in 15 cases (20.3%; high grade in 4 cases) with cephalosporin resistance in 4 of these cases (1 high grade). Fifty-one patients had initial empiric therapy with a third-generation cephalosporin, and 58 patients had empiric coverage of atypical organisms; no patient received empiric penicillin therapy. Blood culture results altered management in 31 patients (41.9%), but in only 2 cases was this due to antibiotic resistance. Fifty-one patients without penicillin allergy grew penicillin-sensitive pneumococci; only 11 patients (21.6%) were changed to penicillin therapy. Thirteen of 35 patients (37.1%) who were given an additional antibiotic for atypical coverage had this antibiotic ceased. CONCLUSION: Despite evidence of penicillin-sensitive pneumococcal CAP, physicians were reluctant to narrow antibiotic therapy, potentially adding to treatment cost and reducing the impact of blood culture results on management. The impact of penicillin resistance was reduced by the usual empiric choice of a third-generation cephalosporin. While positive blood culture results can clearly be useful in the management of patients with CAP, their cost-effectiveness needs to be assessed in prospective clinical trials.     

社区获得性肺炎255例治疗与国内外指南推荐方案对比研究

目的了解北京地区三甲医院对社区获得性肺炎(CAP)治疗的现状,并与国内外CAP指南治疗标准进行比较,为我国CAP指南的推广和应用提供循证医学依据。方法以2002-07~2004-06北京大学人民医院呼吸科收治的255例CAP患者为研究对象,通过回顾性研究,比较中国CAP诊疗指南中病情评估与Fine危险分层的相关性;比较中国CAP病情评估标准所分1组和2组患者联合使用抗菌药物的差异及抗菌药物选择的差异。结果中国CAP指南病情评估标准与Fine危险分层有良好的相关性(P=0·0000);按中国CAP指南病情评估标准,不符合住院标准组与符合住院标准组患者在选择单一抗菌药物方面差异有显著性意义(P=0·0290),在选择青霉素和第三代头孢菌素方面差异也具有显著性意义(P=0·0001;P=0·005)。不符合住院标准组与符合住院标准组患者新氟喹诺酮类抗菌药物使用比例均偏高,两组无统计学差异(P=0·182)。结论中国CAP指南病情评估标准与Fine危险分层有很好的相关性,能准确区分不同风险患者。加强对中国CAP诊治指南的贯彻执行,进一步规范CAP治疗标准任重而道远。     

Etiology of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized patients in chile: the increasing prevalence of respiratory viruses among classic pathogens

BACKGROUND AND STUDY OBJECTIVES: The range and relative impact of microbial pathogens, particularly viral pathogens, as a cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in hospitalized adults has not received much attention. The aim of this study was to determine the microbial etiology of CAP in adults and to identify the risk factors for various specific pathogens. METHODS: We prospectively studied 176 patients (mean [+/- SD] age, 65.8 +/- 18.5 years) who had hospitalized for CAP to identify the microbial etiology. For each patient, sputum and blood cultures were obtained as well as serology testing for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae, urinary antigen testing for Legionella pneumophila and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and a nasopharyngeal swab for seven respiratory viruses. RESULTS: Microbial etiology was determined in 98 patients (55%). S pneumoniae (49 of 98 patients; 50%) and respiratory viruses (32%) were the most frequently isolated pathogen groups. Pneumococcal pneumonia was associated with tobacco smoking of > 10 pack-years (odds ratio [OR], 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 5.4; p = 0.01). Respiratory viruses were isolated more often in fall or winter (28%; p = 0.011), and as an exclusive etiology tended to be isolated in patients >/= 65 years of age (20%; p = 0.07). Viral CAP was associated with antimicrobial therapy prior to hospital admission (OR, 4.5; 95% CI, 1.4 to 14.6). CONCLUSIONS: S pneumoniae remains the most frequent pathogen in adults with CAP and should be covered with empirical antimicrobial treatment. Viruses were the second most common etiologic agent and should be tested for, especially in fall or winter, both in young and elderly patients who are hospitalized with CAP.     

Risk factors for mortality caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella sp. in children.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors for mortality in extraintestinal nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) infections in infants and children. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 107 patients with at least one nonfecal culture for NTS seen from January 1988 to December 1995. RESULTS: The median age was 12 (range 1-216) months. Malnutrition was found in 55 patients (51%), and 22 (20%) displayed severe features (weight loss >40%). Seventy-two patients (67%) had previously been hospitalized, and 59 (55%) had received antibiotics during the month before admission. Fever (85%) and diarrhea (56%) were the most frequent clinical manifestations. Nineteen children (18%) had leukopenia. Forty-nine patients (46%) had only bacteremia, 33 (31%) bacteremia with focal infections, and 25 (23%) focal infections with negative blood cultures. Forty-seven strains (44%) were multiresistant, and 40 of them were nosocomially acquired. Eight patients (7%) had received inappropriate antibiotic treatment, and two of them died. Thirteen (12%) children died. Age, underlying disease, previous admission, previous antibiotic therapy, type of infection, susceptibility of the strains and inappropriate antibiotic treatment were not statistically significant risk factors for mortality. A logistic regression analysis selected the following variables as independently influencing outcome: malnutrition (P<0.01), leukopenia (P<0.002) and presence of diarrhea (P<0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Children with extraintestinal infections by NTS with leukopenia, malnutrition and presence of diarrhea have a higher risk of death.     

Nonvalue of the initial microbiological studies in the management of nonsevere community-acquired pneumonia

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of the initial microbiological studies (MBS), consisting of sputum Gram's stains, sputum cultures, and blood cultures, in the etiologic diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) without comorbidity. DESIGN: A prospective study of 74 adult patients hospitalized with nonsevere CAP empirically treated according to the American Thoracic Society guidelines (ATS-GL) and evaluated with Gram's stains and cultures of valid sputum specimens and blood cultures. SETTING: University-affiliated community hospital. RESULTS: Gram's stain of a valid sputum specimen failed to identify the etiologic agent in all patients. Sputum cultures identified pathogens in only four patients (5%). The results of all blood cultures were negative. All patients responded to the initial empiric antibiotic coverage selected according to the ATS-GL, and the results of the initial MBS had no clinical impact. CONCLUSION: The initial MBS, such as sputum Gram's stains, sputum cultures, and blood cultures, have no value in the management of nonsevere CAP without comorbid factors.     

Health care‐associated pneumonia in haemodialysis patients: Clinical outcomes in patients treated with narrow versus broad spectrum antibiotic therapy

Background and objective: Although the 2005 American Thoracic Society/Infectious Disease Society of America antibiotic guidelines classify pneumonia occurring in patients receiving chronic haemodialysis as health care‐associated pneumonia (HCAP), and thus recommend treatment with broad‐spectrum antibiotics for these patients, little data support this classification. We compared clinical outcomes in haemodialysis patients hospitalized with pneumonia, who were treated with broad‐spectrum antibiotics versus narrow‐spectrum antibiotics. Methods: One hundred twenty‐five haemodialysis patients with pneumonia met eligibility criteria. Categorization into the community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP) group or HCAP group was based on antibiotic therapy patients received. Time to oral therapy, time to clinical stability, length of stay and mortality were compared. Results: CAP and HCAP patients did not differ in Pneumonia Severity Index and Charlson Comorbidity index scores, but HCAP patients were more likely to meet criteria for severe pneumonia. Patients treated with HCAP therapy had a significantly longer time to oral therapy than CAP patients (9.2 vs 3.2 days, P < 0.001) and a significantly longer length of stay (11.9 vs 5.1 days, P < 0.001). Time to clinical stability was marginally longer in the HCAP group (3.1 vs 2.4 days, P = 0.07). Patients treated with HCAP therapy had longer continuation of intravenous antibiotics after reaching clinical stability (5.5 vs 0.78 days, P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study is the first to our knowledge to describe clinical outcomes in patients with haemodialysis as their only HCAP risk factor. Narrow‐spectrum antibiotics may be safe in haemodialysis patients with no other HCAP risk factors. HCAP therapy delayed de‐escalation to oral antibiotics was associated with increased duration of intravenous antibiotics and length of stay.     

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.