Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the severe psittacosis pneumonia cases
| Characteristics | Patients, n (%) | Median value, (range) |
|---|---|---|
| Demographics | ||
| Male/female | 6/3 | |
| Age, median (range, years) | 64 (44–83) | |
| History of contact with avian or poultry | 7/9 (66.7) | |
| Underlying disease | 8/9 (88.9) | |
| Clinical manifestations | ||
| Fever > 38.5 °C | 9/9 (100.0) | 39.7 (39.0–40.5) |
| Cough, hypodynamia, dyspnoea | 9/9 (100.0) | |
| Headache | 7/9 (77.8) | |
| Myalgia | 7/9 (77.8) | |
| Septic shock | 6/9 (66.7) | |
| Invasive ventilator support | 6/9 (66.7) | |
| APACHE II | 23 (16–31) | |
| Days from illness to respiratory failure | 8 (2–10) | |
| Laboratory testing | ||
| Elevated WBC (normal 4–10, × 109/L) | 4/9 (44.4) | 11.9 (5.5–22.0) |
| Elevated percentage of neutrophils (normal 45–75%) | 7/9 (77.8) | 82.4% (72.5–97.6%) |
| Elevated CRP (normal 0–8 mg/L) | 9/9 (100.0) | 175.0 (84.5–284.9) |
| Increased PCT (normal 0–0.5 ng/mL) | 8/9 (88.9) | 0.9 (0.2–2.7) |
| Elevated CK (normal 30–135 U/L) | 4/8 (50.0) | 831.0 (35.0–5179.0) |
| Elevated LDH (normal 109–245 U/L) | 8/8 (100.0) | 697.0 (357.0–1895.0) |
| Hypokalemia (normal 3.5–5.2 mmol/L) | 6/9 (66.7) | 3.4 (2.7–4.3) |
| Imaging | ||
| Lesion began in superior lobe of lung | 8/9 (88.9) | |
| Consolidation with air bronchograms | 9/9 (100.0) | |
| Complete CT recovery in survivors | 8/8 (100.0) |
APACHE The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation, CK creatine kinase, CRP C-reactive protein, CT computed tomography, LDH lactate dehydrogenase, PCT procalcitonin, WBC white blood cell