Table 1.
Characteristics of patients with CAP at admission to hospital (n = 30)
| Diagnostic characteristics | Frequency, n (%) or median (IQR) |
|---|---|
| Gender/male, | 16 (53.3) |
| Age, median (IQR) | 74 (69.8–84.5) |
| Smokers | 5 (16.7) |
| Penicillin allergy | 1 (3.3) |
| Cumulated Ambulation Score (CAS) < 6 | 10 (33.3) |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), median (IQR) | 2 (1.0–3.0) |
| Nutritional deficiencies, | 23 (76.7) |
| Fever (≥38 °C) | 13 (43.3) |
| C-reactive protein (> 10 mg/L) | 28 (93.3) |
| Sputum production | 25 (83.3) |
| Dyspnoea | 26 (86.7) |
| Chills | 4 (13.3) |
| Pleuritic chest pain | 3 (10.0) |
| Confusion | 7 (23.3) |
| Pulse rate > 100 | 13 (43.3) |
| Respiratory rate ≥ 30 breaths/min | 4 (13.3) |
| Cough | 25 (83.3) |
| CURB-65 score: 0–1 points | 9 (30.0) |
| CURB-65 score: 2 points | 13 (43.3) |
| CURB-65 score: ≥3 points | 8 (26.7) |
| Recent travel (≤2 weeks) | 3 (10.0) |
| Responding to treatment ≤48 h | 20 (71.4)a |
| Length of hospital stay, median (IQR) | 6.5 (3.0–14.3) |
| In-hospital mortality | 3 (10.0) |
| Readmission ≤1 month | 11 (40.7)b |
| Post discharge mortality ≤1 month | 2 (7.4)b |
aAdjusted for 2 patients who were discharged ≤24 h of admission
bAdjusted for in-hospital mortality on 27 patients
CCI = Charlson Comorbidity Index is calculated based on 19 predefined comorbidities with assigned weights of 1, 2, 3, or 6 and summed to the total CCI score. CAS=Cumulated Ambulation Score is calculated by assessing 3 activities (1. getting in and out of bed, 2. sitting down and standing up from a chair, 3. walking ability with or without a walking aid) on a three-point scale
(2 = independent of human assistance or guidance, 1 = requiring human assistance or guidance to perform activity, 0 = unable to perform activity despite human assistance). The score for each activity is cumulated to provide a daily range from 0 to 6. CAS score < 6 indicates dependent of human assistance. CURB-65 = severity assessment score is calculated by giving 1 point for each of the following prognostic features: Confusion, Urea>7 mmol/l, Respiratory rate >30 breaths/minute, Low systolic (<90 mmHg) or diastolic (<60 mmHg) blood pressure, ≥65 years. The total sum is stratified for CAP severity: (score 0–1) low severity; (score 2) moderate severity; (score 3–5) high severity