title: Severe community-acquired pneumonia.
abstract: Community-acquired pneumonia is an important public health concern and a recent focus of clinical practice guidelines. What has become clear from this renewed focus of attention is that a subgroup of patients with community-acquired pneumonia have severe disease with a differing spectrum of pathogens and prognosis. This article reviews the definition, bacteriology, diagnostic approach, and treatment of patients categorized as having severe community-acquired pneumonia. Although some of what is discussed is controversial and the literature in this area continues to expand, we focus on an evidence-based approach to this clinical problem.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY 11501, USA. iculung@pipeline.com
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Cassiere
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fein
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D011634:Public Health; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents