Clinical and laboratory manifestations of community-acquired pneumonia among three different age groups
| (A) Younger adults (n=348) | (B) Elderly (n=438) | (C) Very old (n=201) | Significant post hoc comparisons | p Value | |
| Vital signs | |||||
| Tachycardia | 266 (76.4%) | 298 (68.0%) | 113 (56.2%) | B vs A C vs A | <0.001 |
| Tachypnoea (RR>25) | 14 (4.0%) | 46 (10.5%) | 26 (12.9%) | B vs A C vs A | 0.004 |
| Fever (tympanic temperature >38°C) | 121 (34.8%) | 144 (32.9%) | 63 (31.3%) | NS | 0.719 |
| Self-reported history of fever | 190 (54.6%) | 222 (50.7%) | 86 (42.8%) | C vs A C vs B | 0.017 |
| Hypothermia (tympanic temperature <36°C) | 35 (10.1%) | 39 (8.9%) | 22 (11.0%) | NS | 0.697 |
| Fall or syncope | 0 (0%) | 14 (3.2%) | 7 (3.5%) | C vs A C vs B | 0.003 |
| Laboratory | |||||
| Anaemia (Hb <10 mg/dl) | 40 (11.5%) | 76 (17.4%) | 43 (21.4%) | B vs A C vs A | 0.006 |
| Leukocytosis (WBC>12000/mm3) | 107 (30.8%) | 172 (37.3%) | 90 (44.8%) | C vs A C vs B | 0.003 |
| Band for leucocyte >5% | 21 (6.0%) | 44 (10.1%) | 17 (8.5%) | NS | 0.13 |
| Thrombocytopenia (platelet <15k) | 67 (19.3%) | 99 (22.6%) | 55 (27.4%) | NS | 0.088 |
| Hyponatraemia (Na <130 mEq/l) | 35 (10.1%) | 79 (18.0%) | 37 (18.4%) | C vs A B vs A | 0.003 |
| Complication | |||||
| Empyema/ parapneumonic effusion | 26 (7.5%) | 40 (9.1%) | 20 (10.0%) | NS | 0.560 |
| Upper gastrointestinal bleeding | 18 (5.2%) | 38 (8.7%) | 22 (11.0%) | C vs A B vs A | 0.048 |
| Bacteraemia | 18 (5.2%) | 36 (8.2%) | 10 (5.0%) | NS | 0.141 |
| Adult respiratory distress syndrome | 13 (3.7%) | 13 (4.6%) | 5 (2.5%) | NS | 0.443 |
| Organ failure | |||||
| Acute respiratory failure | 29 (8.3%) | 69 (14.3%) | 34 (17.7%) | C vs A B vs A | 0.003 |
| Altered consciousness | 17 (4.9%) | 30 (11.0%) | 45 (13.4%) | C vs A B vs A | <0.001 |
| Acute renal failure | 15 (4.3%) | 45 (10.3%) | 19 (9.5%) | B vs A C vs A | 0.006 |
| Acute liver impairment | 36 (10.3%) | 19 (4.3%) | 2 (1.0%) | A vs B A vs C | <0.001 |
| Septic shock | 24 (6.9%) | 49 (11.2%) | 25 (12.4%) | C vs A B vs A | 0.006 |
| Pneumonia severity index (class) | 2 (1–3) | 4 (3–4) | 4 (3–5) | C vs A B vs A C vs B | <0.001 |
| CURB-65 | 0 (0–1) | 2 (1–3) | 2 (2–3) | C vs A B vs A C vs B | <0.001 |
| Outcome | |||||
| Mortality | 18 (5.2%) | 31 (7.1%) | 19 (9.5%) | NS | 0.159 |
| Admission to ward | 134 (38.5%) | 259 (59.1%) | 125 (62.2%) | C vs A B vs A | <0.001 |
| Admission to ICU | 33 (9.5%) | 79 (18.0%) | 29 (14.4%) | C vs A B vs A | 0.003 |
| Mechanical ventilation | 35 (10.1%) | 88 (20.1%) | 32 (15.9%) | C vs A B vs A | 0.001 |
| Length of hospital stay (median, IQR) | 1 (0–10) | 8 (1–16) | 9 (2–17) | C vs A B vs A | <0.001 |