Pre-analytic factors and initial biomarker levels in community-acquired pneumonia patients

BMC Anesthesiology

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study sample

Characteristics	All patients (N = 925)
*Demographic characteristics*
Age, median (IQR), yr.	73 (59-82)
Male, % (n)	58.8% (544)
*Coexisting illnesses*, % ( n ) ^a
Chronic renal failure	22.3% (206)
Chronic liver insufficiency	2.4% (22)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease	30.5% (282)
Diabetes mellitus	17.5% (162)
Congestive heart failure	17.2% (159)
*Clinical history*, % (n)
Antibiotic pretreatment^a,b	25.5% (236)
Steroids ≥20 mg prednisolone equivalent/d^a	2.4% (22)
Cough	82.3% (761)
Sputum	47.2% (437)
Fever	66.8% (618)
Chill	32.5% (301)
Dyspnoea	75.1% (695)
New York Heart Association class at presentation
I	9.8% (91)
II	27.2% (252)
III	26.1% (241)
IV	12.0% (111)
*Clinical findings*
Confusion, % (n)	8.0% (74)
Rales during auscultation, % (n)	68.8% (636)
Pneumonia severity index, median (IQR)^c	92 (68-116)
Respiratory rate, median (IQR), breaths/min	20 (16-25)
Systolic blood pressure, median (IQR), mmHg	132 (119-148)
Diastolic blood pressure, median (IQR), mmHg	74 (65-83)
Heart rate, median (IQR), beats/min	95 (82-108)
Body temperature, median (IQR), °C	38.1 (37.2-38.9)
*Initial laboratory findings, median* *(IQR)*
PCT, μg/L	0.46 (0.15-2.66)
C-reactive protein, mg/dL	155 (75-252)
White blood cells count, cells × 10⁹/L	12.1 (9-16.4)
ProADM, nmol/L	1.2 (0.81-1.86)
Copeptin, pmol/L	25 (12.7-51.1)
Creatinine, μmol/L	89 (69-113)
*Treatment site*, % ( n )
Inpatient	91.2% (844)

IQR, interquartile range; PCT, procalcitonin; ProADM, proadrenomedullin.
Due to inclusion criteria for the present analysis, all patients had a history of CAP.
^aAll data on comorbidities and pretreatments were based on patient report and medical chart review.
^bIncludes patients receiving at least one dose of antibiotics irrespective of agent, regimen or administration route.
^cThe pneumonia severity index [24] is scored based on 20 sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, or comorbidity variables. Patients are categorised into 5 classes, with increasing scores and classes denoting worse severity and mortality risk.

ISSN: 1471-2253