[Nosocomial pneumonia: a report of 372 cases]

Three hundred seventy-two cases of hospital-acquired pneumonia occurring during a 4-year period were reviewed. It was found that the annual incidence of the pneumonia was 1.44% which ranked first in the incidence of nosocomial infections at this institution. Most of the patients had suffered from primary severe underlying diseases with immunosuppression of different degrees. A variety of factors such as antibiotic and steroid therapy, operation, intensive care, endotracheal intubation, tracheostomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy predisposed to the acquisition of this pneumonia. Most frequent etiologic agents for hospital-acquired pneumonia were Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The overall mortality rate was 25.3%. However, deaths associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are particularly high, with rates of 70.6% and 66.7% respectively. The incidence, mortality, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disorder were discussed briefly.