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Prognosis

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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Some information concerning the prognosis in pneumonia is given below:

  • community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has an incidence rate of around 1 case per 1000 population per year in the EU and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide, with up to 68.8% of patients requiring hospitalization

  • adverse prognostic factors include:
    • age - highest mortality in very young and elderly
    • respiratory rate >= 30/min } if >=2 are
    • diastolic blood pressure <= 60mm Hg} present then x21
    • blood urea > 7 mmol/l } inc. in mortality
    • confusion
    • leucocyte count > 20 or < 4 x 10^9/l
    • serum albumin < 35 g/l
    • arterial oxygen tension < 8kPa
    • mutiple lobes seen to be affected on chest x-ray
    • organism - worst prognosis is associated with type 3 pneumococci, Staph. pyogenes and Klebsiella pneumoniae
    • bacteraemia increases mortality
    • concomitant disease, e.g. chronic bronchitis or emphysema

  • lung abscesses (2%) or empyemata (1%):
    • are complications of inadequately treated pneumonia
    • indicate a poor prognosis

  • lobar or segmental pneumonia are more commonly associated with persistent or recurrent respiratory symptoms

Reference:

  • Woodhead M. Community-acquired pneumonia in Europe: causative pathogens and resistance patterns. Eur Respir J Suppl. 2002;14:20s-27s.
  • Welte T. Risk factors and severity scores in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia: prediction of severity and mortality. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2012;14:33-47

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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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