title: [Community-acquired pneumonia: outcomes and costs].
abstract: The number of patients admitted with community acquired pneumonias (CAP) varies greatly from one hospital to another. Prognostic models for CAP can help physicians decide which cases to treat on an outpatients basis. Our aims were: a) to validate a model for predicting low-risk CAP, and b) to estimate savings that would have resulted if the low-risk patients identified by the model had been treated at home rather than in hospital. The prediction rule of Fine et al. was used to classify retrospectively 260 CAP patients. Mortality in each category was compared with the mortality predicted. Patients in the lowest risk categories were considered to have been inappropriately admitted. The predictive model used has been found useful for identifying patients at very low-risk of dying from CAP. Application of the model can lead to savings.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Fisiopatologia Respiratoria, Istituto di Medicina Interna Ospedaliera, Arcispedale S. Anna, Ferrara. pts@unife.it
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Putinati
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ballerin
authors.forename: Malvina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gualandi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piattella
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Potena
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
vernacular_title: Le polmoniti acquisite in comunità: considerazioni cliniche e farmaco-economiche.