Table 1.
Baseline characteristics according to study groups
| Simvastatin n=19 |
Placebo n=15 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Demographic data | ||
| Age, median (IQR), years | 63 (44.5–79) | 76 (45.5–78) |
| Male sex | 14 (73.7) | 12 (80) |
| Current smoker | 4 (21.1) | 4 (26.7) |
| Comorbidities* | 12 (63.2) | 9 (60) |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index | 1 (0–1.5) | 1 (0–1) |
| Clinical features | ||
| Impaired consciousness | 2 (10.5) | 2 (13.3) |
| Hypotension | 1 (5.3) | 2 (13.3) |
| Hypoxaemia | 12 (63.2) | 9 (60) |
| Multilobar pneumonia | 6 (31.6) | 5 (33.3) |
| Leucocytosis (leucocytes >12 109/L) | 14 (73.7) | 8 (53.3) |
| IDSA/ATS criteria for ICU admission1 | 4 (21) | 5 (33.3) |
| CAP-specific scores | ||
| High-risk PSI classes | 8 (42.1) | 8 (53.3) |
| Aetiology† | ||
| All | 11 (57.9) | 11 (73.3) |
| Streptococcus pneumoniae | 8 (42.1) | 8 (53.3) |
| Haemophilus influenzae | 0 (0) | 2 (13.3) |
| Influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 | 1 (5.3) | 1 (6.7) |
| Time to antibiotic administration, median (IQR), hours | 5.5 (3–8) | 5 (4–7.5) |
| Treatment at admission | ||
| Corticosteroids | 8 (42.1) | 4 (26.7) |
| β-lactams | 15 (78.9) | 12 (80) |
| Quinolones | 15 (78.9) | 9 (60) |
| Mechanical ventilation | 1 (5.3) | 0 (0) |
Data are reported as n (%), unless otherwise indicated.
*Comorbidities included chronic pulmonary diseases, chronic heart diseases, diabetes mellitus, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, dementia and cerebrovascular disease.
†Other aetiologies in the simvastatin group were Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae (one case of each).
ATS, American Thoracic Society; CAP, community-acquired pneumonia; ICU, intensive care unit; IDSA, Infectious Diseases Society of America; PSI, pneumonia severity index.