Table 2.
Proven viral LRTI versus LRTI caused by bacteria and of unknown origin
| Variable | Other (n=114) | Viral (n=51) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age in years (±SD) | 82.6 (±6.95) | 80.9 (±6.4) | 0.133 |
| Sex (M/F) | 56/58 | 20/31 | 0.312 |
| Residency, home/nursing home | 72/41 | 35/16 | 0.664 |
| Mortality, no. (%) | 19 (16.7) | 3 (5.9) | 0.091 |
| Pneumonia, no. (%) | 62 (54.4) | 27 (52.9) | 0.997 |
| Constitutional symptomsa, % | 85.6 | 39.4 | 0.952 |
| URT symptomsb, % | 30.3 | 13.7 | 0.933 |
| Familial flu-like illness, % | 8.9 | 28.6 | 0.007 |
| Antibiotic therapy on admission, % | 28.69 | 45.65 | 0.044 |
| Functional statusc prior to hospitalisation, mean (±SD) | 2.9 (±3.3) | 1.7 (±2.6) | 0.042 |
| Hodkinson scored on admission, mean (±SD) | 6.7 (±4.1) | 8.7 (±2.9) | 0.005 |
| Platelet count (109/l), mean (±SD) | 296.4 (±252.2) | 211.2 (±90.6) | 0.02 |
| Leucocyte count (109/l), mean (±SD) | 11.5 (±6.2) | 8.2 (±3.3) | <0.001 |
| LDH (U/l), mean (±SD) | 451.9 (±275.2) | 623.7 (±770.5) | 0.05 |
| Ureum (mg/dl), mean (±SD) | 9.4 (±20.9) | 59.2 (±30.1) | 0.04 |
LRTI, lower respiratory tract infection; URT, upper respiratory tract; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase
aAny of the following symptoms: headache, myalgia, arthralgia, asthenia, abdominal pain, anorexia, chills, emesis, or diarrhoea
bAny of the following symptoms: nasal congestion, periorbital pain, rhinorrhoea, earache, or sore throat
cFunctional score (0–10): normal score <4
dHodkinson score (0–10): normal score ≥8