Factors predicting in‐hospital mortality among patients admitted with community acquired pneumonia at a tertiary care hospital Karachi, Pakistan

Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality globally, but unfortunately there is limited data available from South East Asia. Objective To determine the risk factors associated with in‐hospital mortality in patients with CAP in a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on adult patients admitted with a diagnosis of CAP from January 2011 till December 2016. Their clinical records were reviewed and a multivariable analysis was done to determine the factors associated with in‐hospital mortality. Results A total of 1100 files were reviewed, of which 509 were included in the analysis. The mean age was 63.6 ± 16.5 years and 302 (52.16%) were males. The most Common isolated pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (23%) . Overall mortality was 10.8%. On univariate analysis factors associated with mortality were old age patients ( P  = 0.02); history of pneumonia in last 12 months ( P  = 0.008); CURB 65 score ≥ 3 ( P  < 0.001) and high dependency units as initial site of care ( P  < 0.001). On multivariable analysis CURB65 ≥ 3 score; high dependency unit as initial site of care; bedridden status; presence of bilateral infiltrates on chest X‐ray and hemoglobin of 10.4 g/dL or less at the time of admission were key determinants of in‐hospital mortality. Conclusion We found CURB65 ≥ 3 score; high dependency unit as initial site of care; bedridden status; bilateral infiltrates on chest X‐ray and low hemoglobin (10.4 g/dL or less) at the time of admission as independent risk factors of in‐hospital mortality. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism isolated in patients.