Epidemiology and resource utilization for patients hospitalized for lower respiratory tract infection.
OBJECTIVE
To determine referral rates, patient characteristics, and resource utilization for patients admitted to hospital with community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI).


METHODS
Six hundred and thirteen patients, accounting for 704 LRTI episodes, were included in the study, if the referral diagnosis was LRTI and if both signs and symptoms on admission and patient management were consistent with this diagnosis. Patient records were abstracted to collect information on co-morbidities, patient demographics, resource utilization, episode outcome, pharmacy prescribing and diagnostic service utilization.


RESULTS
Annual hospital admissions for LRTI ranged from 15 per 10 000 population in the age range 16-40 years to over 300 per 10 000 in the population aged >79 years, with a population average of 62.3 per 10 000. Less than 37% of admissions were for community-acquired pneumonia and the majority of episodes were in patients with pre-existing respiratory disease (41.2%). Marital status, gender, diabetic status, type of infection and number of days in hospital within the past year were all significantly associated with changes in mean length of stay.


CONCLUSIONS
Hospital episodes of LRTI are seen predominantly in the over-60 age group, which account for almost 90% of bed day utilization, yet represent only 27% of the adult population. Referral of patients to hospital with LRTI represents a major resource implication for secondary health-care provision.
Lovering
A M
AM
Bristol Center for Antimicrobial Research & Evaluation, Southmead Hospital, Westbury on Trym, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK. lovering_a@suthmead.swest.nhs.uk
MacGowan
A P
AP
Anderson
P
P
Irwin
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology