OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the criteria of severity assessment of the Chinese Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Guidelines, and provide the evidence for carrying out the Guidelines completely. METHODS: The medical records of 473 patients with CAP in our hospital from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2004 were prospectively collected and analyzed with SPSS 10.0. Chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression to analyze the influence of risk factors listed in the Guidelines on the outcome of the patients in this cohort. RESULTS: (1) The mortality in severe pneumonia group was 28.9%; hospitalized group, in qualified, and 0% in disqualified hospitalized groups; (2) The frequencies of some factors were few in the study, such as previous splenectomy, presence of cavity, ect; (3)There were 13 factors found to be significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors, such as age>65 yrs, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, etc; of which 7 were independent risk factors associated with death (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: (1) The severity assessment criteria of the Chinese CAP Guidelines can differentiate patients with different risks; (2) The Guidelines should be continuously and implemented under evidence based guidance updated.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the criteria of severity assessment of the Chinese Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Guidelines, and provide the evidence for carrying out the Guidelines completely. METHODS: The medical records of 473 patients with CAP in our hospital from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2004 were prospectively collected and analyzed with SPSS 10.0. Chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression to analyze the influence of risk factors listed in the Guidelines on the outcome of the patients in this cohort. RESULTS: (1) The mortality in severe pneumonia group was 28.9%; hospitalized group, in qualified, and 0% in disqualified hospitalized groups; (2) The frequencies of some factors were few in the study, such as previous splenectomy, presence of cavity, ect; (3)There were 13 factors found to be significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors, such as age>65 yrs, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, etc; of which 7 were independent risk factors associated with death (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: (1) The severity assessment criteria of the Chinese CAP Guidelines can differentiate patients with different risks; (2) The Guidelines should be continuously and implemented under evidence based guidance updated.