Baseline characteristics of study patients
| Characteristics | PDT(n = 134) | EAT(n = 128) |
|---|---|---|
| PDT, pathogen directed treatment group; EAT, empirical antibiotic treatment group. | ||
| †p = 0.03. No other significant differences in baseline values were found. | ||
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 62.0 (18.5) | 66.7 (17.2)† |
| Sex, n (%) | ||
| Male | 74 (55) | 67 (52) |
| Female | 60 (45) | 61 (48) |
| Nursing home residents, n (%) | 3 (2) | 3 (2) |
| Outpatient antibiotic treatment, n (%) | 39 (29) | 29 (23) |
| Co-morbidity, n (%) | ||
| COPD | 47 (35) | 49 (38) |
| Asthma | 10 (7) | 13 (10) |
| Congestive heart failure | 9 (7) | 12 (9) |
| Ischaemic heart disease | 6 (4) | 11 (9) |
| Neurological disorder | 13 (10) | 11 (9) |
| Liver disease | 2 (1) | 1 (1) |
| Chronic renal disease | 0 | 4 (3) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 14 (10) | 12 (9) |
| Smoking, n (%) | ||
| ⩾10 cigarettes/day | 25 (19) | 35 (27) |
| <10 cigarettes/day | 8 (6) | 6 (5) |
| Ex-smoker | 46 (34) | 42 (32) |
| Non-smoker | 54 (40) | 45 (35) |
| Alcohol intake, n (%) | ||
| >3 units/day | 5 (4) | 7 (5) |
| Pneumonia severity index, n (%) | ||
| Risk class 1 | 15 (11) | 8 (6) |
| Risk class 2 | 35 (26) | 24 (19) |
| Risk class 3 | 31 (23) | 33 (26) |
| Risk class 4 | 44 (33) | 50 (39) |
| Risk class 5 | 9 (7) | 13 (10) |