Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0348321 (Haemophilus)
 15,372 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Studies on community acquired pneumonia in the United States in patients over the age of 65 years have shown that Gram negative bacilli account for an appreciable proportion of cases, in addition to usual pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. There have been no reports of community acquired pneumonia in the elderly in the United Kingdom. We undertook such a study to determine the clinical features, aetiology, and outcome. Seventy three patients (38 men) with ages ranging from 65 to 97 (median 79) years were studied prospectively. Pneumonia was defined as an acute lower respiratory tract infection with new, previously unrecorded shadowing on a chest radiograph. Patients with severe chronic illness in whom pneumonia was an expected terminal event were excluded. Nearly all the patients (96%) had respiratory symptoms or signs but many had features that might obscure the true diagnosis of pneumonia. Over half the patients had non-respiratory symptoms and over a third had no systemic signs of infection. A pathogen was identified in 43% of patients, most commonly Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and influenza B virus. Gram negative bacilli were not seen. The mortality rate was high (33%). Early deaths were due to infection whereas later deaths were associated with other factors, such as stroke (two patients) and pulmonary embolism (two patients). Prognostic indicators for mortality were apyrexia, systolic hypotension, increasing hypoxaemia, and new urinary incontinence. As the range of pathogens causing pneumonia was the same in the elderly in this study as in other age groups it is suggested that initial antibiotic treatment for patients in this age group should always cover S pneumoniae and H influenzae.
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PMID:A hospital study of community acquired pneumonia in the elderly. 235 52

Age-related changes, for example reduced elasticity and earlier airways collapse, predispose the elderly to respiratory infection. Other factors such as a lifetime of smoking, the use of hypnotics, or the development of stroke also predispose. Pneumonia becomes increasingly common with advancing age, and both morbidity and mortality increase with associated disease burden. Diagnosis of pneumonia may be more difficult in the aged because of physiological changes. However, careful physical examination with accurate, regular recording of body temperature will usually reveal the characteristic features of pneumonia, which should be confirmed by chest radiograph. In the frail elderly, the onset of impaired function, such as confusion, immobility, falling or incontinence, should raise suspicion of infection. Pneumonia is classified as community-acquired, nursing home-acquired or nosocomial, which helps in the empirical choice of antibiotics. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common organism in the community, then Haemophilus influenzae and Branhamella catarrhalis. Gram-negative organisms like Klebsiella and Escherichia coli are more common in nosocomial infections. Nursing home patients with pneumonia tend to be more frail than those in the community. Treatment is directed at eradication of the organism with the appropriate antibiotic, maintaining hydration and oxygenation, as well as managing impaired mobility, faecal loading, urinary incontinence and confusion. Influenza vaccination is strongly recommended for the frail elderly. Tuberculosis remains an important diagnosis in the frail elderly and should always be considered, especially in patients with respiratory infection who fail to respond to conventional therapy.
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PMID:Treatment recommendations for respiratory tract infections associated with aging. 845 84