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Query: UMLS:C0032285 (pneumonia)
 54,520 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Community-acquired lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is a common cause of acute illness in adults. The spectrum of disease ranges from a mild mucosal colonisation or infection, acute bronchitis or acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-CB/COPD), to an overwhelming parenchymal infection with the patient presenting with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Although the great majority of LRTIs are self-limiting viral infections, CAP is most often a bacterial disease with a substantial mortality. Thus, antibiotic treatment is rarely indicated for acute bronchitis and is only indicated for the more severe cases of AE-CB/COPD, but it is nearly always indicated for CAP, for which a delay in treatment may increase the risk of a fatal outcome. It may be difficult to differentiate between a viral and a bacterial LRTI, or between bronchitis/AE-CB/COPD and CAP. This may be one reason why antibiotics are prescribed to more than two-thirds of patients with LRTIs in Europe and the USA. Considering the worldwide development of antibiotic resistance, this is not an acceptable situation. Since an empirical approach is nearly always necessary in the management of LRTI, greater emphasis must be placed on the decision of whether or not to prescribe an antibiotic at all. This decision should be based on an assessment of the severity of the disease, including underlying risk factors, and on markers for bacterial/parenchymal/ invasive LRTI. The choice of empirical therapy must be based on the same data together with epidemiological information. The choice of antibiotic must always cover Streptococcus pneumoniae, which remains the main pathogen of morbidity and mortality in CAP. In hospital, attempts should be made to obtain an aetiological diagnosis in order to be able to switch to a specific treatment or to evaluate a failure of empirical therapy. Several guidelines for the management of community-acquired pneumonia have been published during the last 10 yrs. Some reports indicate that the implementation of such guidelines has resulted in lowered costs, length of stay in hospital and mortality. However, the results from these studies are not consistent and the evidence is still weak.
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PMID:Treatment of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections in adults. 1216 47

The sputum smear-negative patients have been a diagnostic challenge for health professionals. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity has been shown to rise in various body fluids of patients with tuberculosis (Tb). A prospective clinical trial was conducted to determine the diagnostic value of ADA activity in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in sputum smear-negative subjects highly suggestive for pulmonary Tb. Nineteen (M/F: 15/4, mean age 46.8 +/- 16.5 years) sputum smear-negative patients highly suggestive for pulmonary Tb constituted Group I. Acid fast bacilli (AFB) grew on sputum and/or BAL culture of all subjects in this group. Twenty-nine patients (M/F: 19/10, mean age 55.7 +/- 8.0 years) with non-tuberculous pulmonary diseases constituted Group II. Ten of them had interstitial lung disease, nine lung cancer, five pneumonia and five COPD. Twelve subjects (M/F: 7/5, mean age 48.4 +/- 12.8 years) constituted the controls (Group III) undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) for various indications and the lungs were found to be normal eventually. Albumin and ADA activity levels were measured in plasma and BAL in all the subjects. LocalADA was calculated. PlasmaADA and BALADA of Group I was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that of the other groups. LocalADA was also the highest in Group I when compared with the others (P < 0.001) but that of Group II was also higher (P < 0.01) when compared with controls. With a cut-off value derived from the control subjects, sensitivity of BALADA was 100% and specificity 85.3%. Sputum PCR results are available in a couple of days whereas that of BALADA are available in a couple of hours and BALADA costs cheaper than PCR in our country. Therefore, we conclude that BALADA may be a useful, cheaper and faster diagnostic test in sputum smear-negative patients highly suggestive for pulmonary Tb. LocalADA need not be calculated as it is also significantly higher in Group II subjects and thus not as reliable as BALADA.
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PMID:Adenosine deaminase activity in bronchoalveolar lavage in Turkish patients with smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis. 1219 40

Aspiration pneumonia is a serious problem for the elderly institutionalized person, often requiring transfer to a hospital and a lengthy stay there. It is associated with a high mortality rate and is very costly to the health care system. The current study sought to determine the key predictors of aspiration pneumonia in a nursing home population with the hope that health care providers could identify those residents at highest risk and focus more efforts on prevention of this serious disease. A cross-sectional, retrospective analysis was done, using the Minimum Data Set (MDS) nursing home assessment data for three states (New York, Mississippi, Maine) from 1993 to 1994 (N = 102842). Nursing home residents were aged 65+. Standardized MDS summary scales and their component items were used, including: the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, the cognitive performance scale (CPS), and the Resource Utilization Groups (RUGs). Results of these analyses showed the prevalence of pneumonia among this population was 3% (n = 3118). Results from the logistic regression models indicated 18 significant predictors of aspiration pneumonia. The strongest to weakest predictors of pneumonia were, respectively, suctioning use, COPD, CHF, presence of feeding tube, bedfast, high case mix index, delirium, weight loss, swallowing problems, urinary tract infections, mechanically altered diet, dependence for eating, bed mobility, locomotion, number of medications, and age, while both CVA and tracheotomy care were inversely predictive of pneumonia. The emergence of these significant predictors suggested a different pathogenesis of pneumonia in the elderly nursing home resident from the acute care patient or the outpatient. Nursing home residents have chronic medical conditions that gradually lead to "decompensation" in functional status, nutritional status, and pulmonary clearance. Dysphagia and aspiration are common complications of their medical conditions and may slowly worsen as their status deteriorates. Alternatively, a sudden adverse event may dramatically increase the amount aspirated or the ability to resist infection and lead to sudden decompensation. Clinical staff must identify residents with dysphagia and aspiration and work to prevent decline in functional status in all residents. They must be aware of the dangers of adverse events that lead to sudden inactivity or illness and increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Prevention of this disease whenever possible will reduce costs, improve health outcomes, and improve our quality of care.
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PMID:Predictors of aspiration pneumonia in nursing home residents. 1235 45

The status of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in intensive care units (ICU) in Germany was analysed by a national survey. Questionnaires consisting of multiple-choice and short-answer questions were sent to ICUs of university hospitals, hospitals with >1000 beds, with 500 - 1000 beds, and hospitals with <500 beds separated with regard to different specialties (anesthesia ICUs, surgical ICUs, cardiac surgical ICUs, neurosurgical ICUs, internal ICUs, interdiscipline ICUs). Of the 716 questionnaires sent 223 (32 %) were returned and analysed. The use of NIV in all specialties increased during the last 3 years. 14 % of ICUs in some specialties treated more than 30 % of patients with NIV. CPAP (88 %), BIPAP (45 %) and ASB/PSV (48 %) were most frequently used as NIV-strategies. 10 % of all ICUs reported to have experience with proportional assist ventilation. NIV was most frequently used for disease states like COPD (82 %), pneumonia (64 %), pulmonary oedema (50 %), bronchial asthma (35 %) and ALI/ARDS (22 %). The use of NIV was considered when clinical signs of ventilation (93 %) and oxygenation [arterial blood gas analysis (92 %) and oxygen saturation (66 %)] were inadequate. Complications observed during NIV were panic reaction (83 %), ulceration of nose (38 %) and aspiration (14 %). The reasons to reject NIV were (total 13 %): lack of ventilators (64 %), expenditure of personnel (57 %) and risk of the procedure (11 %). 38 % of the ventilators used were older than 5 years. 56 % of the ICUs were content with the equipment for NIV. 76 % of the ICUs were interested to buy new equipment of NIV. 99 % of the survey have declined NIV as an alternative method of ventilation. In summary we found NIV as an accepted additional method of ventilatory support in respiratory failure in German ICUs. We found no significant increase in frequency of NIV in the last three years.
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PMID:[Current status of non-invasive ventilation in German ICU's -- a postal survey]. 1252 27

There is an increasing interest in the measurement of nitric oxide (NO.) in the airways. NO. is a free radical that reacts rapidly with reactive oxygen species in aqueous solution to form peroxynitrite which can then break down to nitrite (NO(2)(-)) and nitrate (NO(3)(-)). NO(3)(-) is considered a stable oxidative end product of NO. metabolism. The aim of this study was to assay NO(3)(-) in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of normal nonsmoking and smoking subjects, asthmatics, patients with obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). EBC was collected using a glass condenser and samples were assayed for NO(3)(-) by ion chromatography followed by conductivity measurement. NO(3)(-) was detectable in EBC of all subjects. NO(3)(-) was elevated in smokers [median (range)] [62.5 (9.6-158.0) microM] and in asthmatics [68.0 (25.8-194.6) microM] compared to controls [9.6 (2.6-119.4) microM; p=0.003 and p=0.006, respectively], whereas NO(3)(-) was not elevated in COPD patients [24.1 (1.9-337.0 microM]. The concentration of NO(3)(-) in patients with CAP [243.4 (26.1-584.5) microM] was higher than that in controls (p=0.002) and NO(3)(-) values decreased after treatment and recovery from illness [40.0 (4.1-167.0) microM, p=0.009]. This study shows that NO(3)(-) is detectable in EBC of healthy subjects and it varies in patients with inflammatory airway diseases.
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PMID:Nitrate in exhaled breath condensate of patients with different airway diseases. 1258 38

The duration of inpatient episodes due to COPD and the factors that affect it have recently been an object of increasing attention, as the aim has been to shorten inpatient periods and thereby to cut health-care costs. All hospital episodes of patients aged over 45 for a primary diagnosis of COPD equal or less than 150 days in duration were drawn from the treatment register maintained by the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health. The lengths of these 152569 inpatient periods were analysed for sex, age and secondary diagnoses by covariance analysis. The mean age of men at the beginning of the hospital episode was 70.6 years and that of women 70.1 years. Men accounted for 76.9% of all inpatient episodes. Covariance analysis ofthe data with age standardised as 70.5 years yielded a mean hospital episode length of 8.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) 8.8-9.0) days. The mean length of hospital episodes without a secondary diagnosis was 7.7 (95% CI 7.6-7.7) days and that with a secondary diagnosis was 10.5 (95% CI 10.5-10.6) days. The longest inpatient episodes were recorded for the patients with secondary diagnoses of pneumonia, 14.7 (95% CI 14.2-15.2) days, and cerebral ischaemia, 14.2 (95% CI 13.5-14.9) days. Concurrent diseases prolonged the hospital episodes of COPD patients. At the beginning of a hospital episode, it is possible to estimate its duration and the need for different treatments based on the patients age and secondary diagnoses.
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PMID:Impact of comorbidities on the duration of COPD patients' hospital episodes. 1258 64

Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) has been discussed comprehensively in the last years, but usage of non-invasive ventilation in Intensive Care Units is rare. The reasons may be uncertainty in indications and difficulties in handling the masks and ventilators. In the last years the introduction of full face masks and respiratory helmets has made it possible to ventilate patients with unusual facial forms and to avoid problems of pressure necrosis. Software components designed for NIPPV are available for standard respirators. Indications for NIPPV (neuromuscular diseases, spinal abnormalities, chest wall malformations, COPD, cardiogenic pulmonary edema) have been ensured in clinical trials. No sufficient data are available for the application of NIPPV in weaning and respiratory failure following extubation. Indication for NIPPV becomes apparent when therapy starts in early stage with sufficient ventilation pressure. Compared to standard therapy, no reliable advantage has been seen for NIPPV in hypoxic hypercapnia respiratory failure except for malignant diseases. However, prophylactic use in patients with high risk might be conceivable. For these patients strict criteria of termination are required to avoid missing the time point for intubation. Gas exchange disturbances in advanced lung fibrosis, pneumonia and ARDS are not amenable to NIPPV. Contraindications for NIPPV are non-compliant patients, absence of cough- and pharyngeal reflexes as well as retention of secretions and malignant ventricular arrhythmia. Relative contraindications are catecholamine-dependent circulatory collapse and acute myocardial infarction, since sufficient data for NIPPV are missing.
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PMID:[Noninvasive ventilation in the intensive care unit -- is it still negligible?]. 1267 84

The aim of the current investigation was to evaluate practical impact of modern NCCLS recommendations for the selection of 2nd and 3rd generation cephalosporins in Moscow teaching multi profile hospital. The sensitivity of clinically significant 96 strains from patients with pyelonephritis and 180 strains from patients with lower respiratory tract infections (pneumonia, COPD) was compared for cefuroxime and cefotaxime or ceftriaxone according NCCLS recommendations during 2000-2001 years. At the lower respiratory tract infection total sensitivity of all pathogens was 70.6% and 72.8%, at the pyelonephritis 71.9% and 76.0% for 2nd and 3rd generations respectively. The differences between cephalosporins were not statistically significant. Based on the application of modern NCCLS recommendations in the routine microbiological practice similar clinical efficacy of 2nd and 3rd generations cephalosporin in lower respiratory tract infections and pyelonephritis could be predicted.
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PMID:[Microbiological evaluation of differences between cephalosporins of second and third generations in general hospital]. 1274 20

To assess the effectiveness of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in reducing hospitalisation and deaths in elderly people, the population aged > or =65 years in Stockholm County, Sweden (n = 259627) were invited to take part in a vaccination campaign with influenza and 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PV). A no. of persons (100,242) (vaccinated cohort) were vaccinated with one or both vaccines during the campaign. The incidence of hospital admissions during 1 year after the vaccination campaign, adjusted for sex and age, was significantly lower in the vaccinated than in the unvaccinated cohort for influenza (relative risk [RR] 0.68), pneumonia (RR 0.78), and invasive pneumococcal disease (RR 0.46). In the vaccinated cohort, the in-hospital mortality was lower for pneumonia (RR 0.55), COPD (RR 0.53) and cardiac failure (RR 0.72).
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PMID:Effects of a large-scale intervention with influenza and 23-valent pneumococcal vaccines in elderly people: a 1-year follow-up. 1292 25

The appropriate use of the clinical microbiology laboratory for diagnosing lower respiratory tract infections is controversial. While examination of sputum does not help to determine the etiology in most patients with acute bronchitis, a recent study confirmed the sense of culturing sputum in patients with exacerbation of COPD. In patients with pneumonia, microbiological investigations include evaluation of sputum samples, antigentests and PCR tests as well as invasive methods of sampling with qualitative and quantitative cultures. However, there is no uniform recommendation for these investigations.
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PMID:[Microbiological diagnosis of deep respiratory tract infections from the clinical viewpoint]. 1367 52


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