Profile and management of community acquired pneumonia in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi

The objective of this study was to assess the demographic profile, severity of patient, co morbidity, length of stay (LOS) and management of community acquired pneumonia. The study was a prospective study and consist of 212 patients (>20 years of age) with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) hospitalized to the tertiary care hospital, situated in Karachi between 1st January, 2010 and 31st March, 2012. Information related to demography and socioeconomic condition (gender, age, education, occupation and household income) and clinical details includes, evaluating severity using pneumonia severity index (PSI) score, laboratory finding, initial antibiotics prescribed, and hospital stay were composed. Demographic, socioeconomic and clinical variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics which is presented as percentage, frequencies, range and means. 116 (54.7%) patients had less severe pneumonia; 60 (28.3%) patients had moderately severe CAP and 36 (16.98%) patients had severe pneumonia. Commonly prescribed monotherapy of antibiotics initially on hospitalization were intravenous ceftriaxone 36 (16.98%). We recommend prospective multicenter setting studies to analyze the prevalence and burden of CAP in Pakistan. Improved assessment and proper utilization of guidelines is mandatory in the management of patients admitted with CAP. Key words: Community acquired pneumonia (CAP), length of stay (LOS), antibiotic and pneumonia severity index (PSI).