A Study of Community-Acquired Pneumonias in Elderly Individuals in Bijapur, India

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in elderly has different clinical presentation and higher mortality than CAP in other age group. Clinical presentation may vary from mere presence of fever to altered sensorium. The incomplete clinical picture of CAP in the elderly may be associated with a delay in establishing the diagnosis and, consequently, in starting adequate antibiotic therapy. Delay in diagnosis and treatment may contribute to the higher observed death rate in the elderly population with CAP. Hence the following study was undertaken to study the clinical, radiological, and bacteriological profile of community-acquired pneumonia in elderly. A total of 50 patients were studied. Age group varied from 66 years to 88 years. Presentation varied from typical symptoms to altered sensorium. Smoking and COPD were most common predisposing conditions. Most common organisms responsible were Streptococcus pneumonia, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas, H. influenza, and Staphylococcus aureus. Etiological agents could not be identified in many cases because of difficulty in collecting sputum in elderly patients, lower yield of culture, and various atypical and difficult to isolate causative organisms. Hence there is need for an empirical therapy covering both typical and atypical organisms. Better understanding of these aspects may help a long way in managing elderly patients with pneumonia.