[Prognostic factors of mortality in elderly with community acquired pneumonia].
OBJECTIVE
Community acquired pneumonia in elderly has specific clinical aspect and higher mortality in relation to younger patients. According to specific pneumonia severity assessment on admission and its importance in proper prediction of clinical course and outcome, the aim of this study was defining prognostic factors of mortality.


METHODS
This study included 240 patients aged > or = 65 years with community acquired pneumonia. On admission, demographic characteristics, underlying diseases, physical symptoms and findings, laboratory values, chest radiography and oxygen blood saturation (SaO2) were analyzed. Multivariate analysis was used to identify characteristic prognostic factors which showed a statistical significance in relation to mortality.


RESULTS
Altered mental status, respiratory frequency > or = 23/min and the presence of bilateral pneumonic infiltrates were defined as the most important prognostic factors of mortality (p < 0.001). These factors displayed 57.89% sensitivity, 100% specificity and 93.33% accuracy.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of identified characteristic prognostic factors on admission pointed out an adverse clinical course and outcome of community acquired pneumonia in elderly. Age and sex were not significantly associated with mortality.
Djordjević
Ivanka
I
Klinicki Centar Nis, Klinika za plućne bolesti i tuberkulozu, Knez Selo, Ul. Bulevar Dr. Zorana Dindića 48, 18 000 Nis, Srbija. ivanka.djordjevic@gmail.com
Pejcić
Tatjana
T
Stanković
Ivana
I
Golubović
Slavica
S
Cirić
Zorica
Z
D000368:Aged; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000401:mortality*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors