Table 3.
Comparison of patients with viral and bacterial pneumonia
| Viral (n = 51) | Bacterial (n = 86) | P‐value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||
| Age, years (mean ± SD) | 83.2 ± 8.4 | 79.8 ± 7.6 | 0.015 |
| Female sex, n (%) | 29 (56.9%) | 24 (27.9%) | 0.001 |
| Nursing home residence, n (%) | 20 (39.2%) | 14 (16.3%) | 0.003 |
| CCI, median (IQR) | 2 (1–3) | 1 (1–3) | 0.072 |
| Katz score, median (IQR) | 6 (1–6) | 6 (4–6) | 0.077 |
| Comorbid illnesses, n (%) | |||
| Diabetes mellitus | 16 (31.4%) | 21 (24.4%) | 0.376 |
| Congestive heart failure | 10 (19.6%) | 9 (10.5%) | 0.134 |
| Ischemic heart disease | 12 (23.5%) | 8 (9.3%) | 0.023 |
| Chronic lung diseases | 17 (33.3%) | 42 (48.8%) | 0.076 |
| Cerebrovascular accident | 15 (29.4%) | 12 (14.0%) | 0.028 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 4 (7.8%) | 10 (11.6%) | 0.480 |
| Chronic liver disease | 0 (0%) | 3 (3.5%) | NC* |
| Dementia | 15 (29.4%) | 14 (16.3%) | 0.069 |
| Active malignancy | 6 (11.8%) | 8 (9.3%) | 0.646 |
| Chest symptoms, n (%) | |||
| Shortness of breath | 28 (54.9%) | 45 (52.3%) | 0.770 |
| Cough | 35 (68.6%) | 59 (68.6%) | 0.998 |
| Expectoration | 25 (49.0%) | 35 (40.7%) | 0.343 |
| Hemoptysis | 13 (25.5%) | 16 (18.6%) | 0.340 |
| Chest pain | 21 (41.2%) | 37 (43.0%) | 0.833 |
| Physical findings | |||
| Fever, n (%) | 34 (66.7%) | 44 (51.2%) | 0.076 |
| Hypotension, n (%) | 0 (0%) | 4 (4.7%) | NC* |
| Tachypnoea, n (%) | 8 (15.7%) | 8 (9.3%) | 0.261 |
| MAC, cm (mean ± SD) | 22.5 ± 2.9 | 23.2 ± 3.1 | 0.137 |
| Confusion, n (%) | 14 (27.5%) | 11 (12.8%) | 0.032 |
| Routine blood tests | |||
| Sodium (mmol/L), median (IQR) | 137 (133–140) | 138 (134–141) | 0.257 |
| Urea >7 mmol/L, n (%) | 21 (41.2%) | 48 (55.8%) | 0.098 |
| Creatinine (μmol/L), median (IQR) | 89 (77–117) | 99 (77–128) | 0.289 |
| Albumin (g/L), median (IQR) | 36 (33–38) | 35 (30–37) | 0.067 |
| Leukocytosis, n (%) | 17 (33.3%) | 47 (54.7%) | 0.016 |
| Neutrophil count (×109/l) | 7.8 (7.2–9.2) | 8.4 (7.7–10.4) | 0.456 |
| Lymphocyte count (×109/l) | 3.4 (3.1–3.9) | 2.9 (2.5–3.3) | 0.223 |
| ALT (U/L) | 19 (11–28) | 18 (12–30) | 0.755 |
| Chest radiographs, n (%) | |||
| Multilobar pneumonia | 7 (13.7%) | 13 (15.1%) | 0.824 |
| Pleural effusion | 3 (5.9%) | 5 (5.8%) | 0.987 |
| CURB score, n (%) | |||
| 0–1 | 41 (80.4%) | 69 (80.2%) | |
| 2–4 | 10 (19.6%) | 17 (19.8%) | 0.982 |
n = 137. *Non‐calculable. ALT, alanine transaminase; CCI, Charlson's comorbidity index; CURB, confusion, blood urea nitrogen, respiratory rate and low blood pressure; MAC, mid‐arm circumference.