Table 2:

Independent items for diagnosing bacterial lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and bacterial pneumonia in patients presenting with acute cough in primary care^*

Diagnostic variable	Diagnosis; OR (95% CI)
	Bacterial LRTI†	Bacterial pneumonia‡
Comorbidity (pulmonary, cardiac, diabetes mellitus)§	–	2.05 (1.03–4.09)
Discoloured sputum¶	1.63 (1.34–1.99)	–
Temperature ≥ 38°C	–	2.89 (0.98–8.56)
Crackles on lung auscultation	–	4.66 (2.25–9.65)

Note: CI = confidence interval, OR = odds ratio.

^*Results shown had p < 0.10 in multivariable analysis after backward selection; nonsignificant items are not shown.

^†Variables entered in the multivariable regression model for bacterial LRTI, based on the literature: age ≥ 75 years, male sex, current smoker, comorbidity, discoloured sputum, temperature ≥ 38°C and crackles on lung auscultation.

^‡Variables entered in the multivariable regression model for bacterial pneumonia, based on the literature: age ≥ 75 years, comorbidity, discoloured sputum, temperature ≥ 38°C and crackles on lung auscultation.

^§Pulmonary comorbidities were history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma or other lung disease. Cardiac comorbidities were history of heart failure, ischemic heart disease or other heart disease.

^¶Green, yellow or blood-stained.