[CAPNETZ. The competence network for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)]

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Infectious Diseases
• Pulmonology

Background:

• CAPNETZ is a German medical competence network focused on community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
• Funded by the German Ministry for Education and Research, it has 15 years of experience in pneumonia research.
• Established a unique infrastructure enabling the recruitment and analysis of over 11,000 patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the largest worldwide cohort for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) research.
• To comprehensively analyze all relevant aspects of CAP management.
• To inform and update national clinical guidelines for CAP.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment and analysis of a large patient cohort (over 11,000 patients).
• Investigation of epidemiology, risk stratification, pathogen spectrum, resistance, and antibiotic management.
• Publication of results in over 150 peer-reviewed journals.

Main Results:

• The CAPNETZ cohort is the largest globally for CAP research.
• Generated extensive data impacting CAP epidemiology, diagnostics, and treatment strategies.
• Results have directly informed the national S3-guideline for CAP management.

Conclusions:

• CAPNETZ has made seminal contributions to pneumonia research over 15 years.
• The network's infrastructure and data form a strong foundation for future research.
• The CAPNETZ foundation is poised for continued success and funding opportunities.