[Community-acquired pneumonia: 573 cases]

To evaluate the epidemiology and incidence of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) a retrospective study of 573 cases which had been diagnosed during a 3 1/2 year period was carried out. There was a male predominance (2.09/1) with mean age of 53.33 years. The diagnostic delay (days) was 1.5. The mean hospital stay was 13.39 days. The most common underlying disease was COLD (27%). 34% of patients had received previous therapy. The most common clinical features were cough, fever, and mucous sputum. The most common radiological pattern was alveolar (81%). There was increased ESR and moderately high GOT and GPT. The microbiological diagnosis was achieved in 35.4%, with positive sputum culture (mostly pneumococcus) in 26.8% an positive blood culture in 5.9%. Ten patients died (1.7%). The following factors predicted a poor prognosis: age 75 years, underlying disease, bilateral radiological involvement and leukocytosis with neutrophilia.