Table 1

Case mix for admissions with community-acquired pneumonia, overall and by year of admission: 1995 to 1999 versus 2000 to 2004


All admissions
Admissions 1995 to 1999
Admissions 2000 to 2004
P value

Admissions, n (%)
17,869 (5.55)
5,333 (1.65)
12,536 (3.89)

Mean (SD) age, years
61.6 (17.6)
60.2 (17.5)
62.2 (17.6)
<0.001
Age, n (%)




     <16 years
336 (1.9)
116 (2.2)
220 (1.8)

     16 to 24 years
475 (2.7)
144 (2.7)
331 (2.6)

     25 to 34 years
830 (4.6)
298 (5.6)
532 (4.2)

     35 to 44 years
1,300 (7.3)
385 (7.2)
915 (7.3)

     45 to 54 years
2,184 (12.2)
686 (12.8)
1,498 (12.0)

     55 to 64 years
3,453 (19.3)
1,087 (20.4)
2,366 (18.9)

     65 to 74 years
5,034 (28.2)
1,632 (30.6)
3,402 (27.1)

     75 to 84 years
3,837 (21.5)
916 (17.2)
2,921 (23.3)

     85+ years
420 (2.4)
69 (1.3)
351 (2.8)

Gender male, n (%)
10,271 (57.5)
3,067 (57.5)
7,204 (57.5)
0.954
Source of admission, n (%)



<0.001
     Ward, same hospital
9,583 (53.6)
2,941 (55.2)
6,645 (53.0)

     A&E, same hospital, clinic or home
2,888 (16.2)
788 (14.8)
2,100 (16.8)

     Other intermediate care area, same hospital
649 (3.6)
162 (3.0)
487 (3.9)

     HDU, same hospital
1,867 (10.5)
370 (6.9)
1,497 (11.9)

     ICU, same hospital
198 (1.1)
77 (1.5)
121 (1.0)

     ICU, other hospital
1,355 (7.6)
474 (8.9)
881 (7.0)

     HDU, other hospital
157 (0.9)
44 (0.8)
113 (0.9)

     Other hospital (not ICU or HDU)
1,169 (6.5)
477 (8.9)
692 (5.5)

Past medical history, n (%)




     Severe liver problems
219 (1.2)
58 (1.1)
161 (1.3)
0.274
     Very severe cardiovascular disease
334 (1.9)
96 (1.8)
238 (1.9)
0.656
     Steroid treatment
535 (3.0)
183 (3.4)
352 (2.8)
0.025
     Severe respiratory problems
1,265 (7.1)
465 (8.7)
800 (6.4)
<0.001
     Chronic renal replacement therapy
231 (1.3)
87 (1.6)
144 (1.2)
0.009
Primary reason for admission, n (%)



<0.001
     Viral pneumonia
361 (2.0)
164 (3.1)
197 (1.6)

     Bacterial pneumonia
6,972 (49.0)
2,270 (42.6)
4,702 (37.5)

     Pneumonia, no organism isolated
10,536 (59.0)
2,899 (54.3)
7,637 (60.9)

Secondary reason for admission, n (%)



<0.001
     Pre-existing




          Obstructive airways disease
1,309 (7.3)
423 (7.9)
886 (7.1)

          Trauma
119 (0.7)
32 (0.6)
87 (0.7)

          Diabetes mellitus
117 (0.7)
49 (0.9)
68 (0.5)

          Chronic neuromuscular disorders
99 (0.6)
32 (0.6)
67 (0.5)

          Alcoholic cirrhosis
124 (0.7)
24 (0.5)
100 (0.8)

          Chronic renal failure
184 (1.0)
49 (0.9)
135 (1.1)

          Pulmonary fibrosis or fibrosing alveolitis
112 (0.6)
25 (0.5)
87 (0.7)

          Asthma attack
176 (1.0)
62 (1.2)
114 (0.9)

          Inhalation pneumonitis (gastrointestinal contents)
56 (0.3)
12 (0.2)
44 (0.4)

     Occurring as CAP complication




          Septic shock/septicaemia
1,223 (6.8)
389 (7.3)
834 (6.6)

          Pleural effusion
122 (0.7)
17 (0.3)
105 (0.8)

     Could be pre-existing or complication




          Acute renal failure
877 (4.9)
238 (4.5)
639 (5.1)

          Cardiac dysrhythmia
246 (1.4)
58 (1.1)
188 (1.5)

          Cardiac failure
643 (3.6)
213 (4.0)
430 (3.4)

          Cardiogenic shock
59 (0.3)
22 (0.4)
37 (0.3)

          Acute myocardial infarction
218 (1.2)
55 (1.0)
163 (1.3)

          Pulmonary embolus (thrombus)
55 (0.3)
23 (0.4)
32 (0.3)

          Status epilepticus or uncontrolled seizures
91 (0.5)
32 (0.6)
59 (0.5)

          Non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (ARDS)
152 (0.9)
45 (0.8)
107 (0.9)

     Other/none
11,887 (66.5)
3,533 (66.3)
8,354 (66.6)

CPR prior to admission, n (%)
1,080 (6.1)
396 (7.5)
684 (5.5)
<0.001
Mean (SD) SBP at admission, mmHg
123.8 (30.9)
123.5 (32.2)
123.9 (30.4)
0.486
Mean (SD) heart rate at admission, bpm
108.6 (24.6)
110.1 (24.8)
108.0 (24.5)
<0.001
Mechanically ventilated at admission, n (%)
9,751 (54.6)
3,009 (56.4)
6,742 (53.8)
0.001
Sedated or paralysed and sedated for whole of first 24 hours, n (%)
7,737 (43.3)
2,676 (50.2)
5,061 (40.4)
<0.001
Median (IQR) lowest total GCS if not sedated/paralysed
15 (11–15)
15 (11–15)
15 (11–15)
0.249
Median (IQR) highest non-ventilated respiratory rate, breaths/minute
32 (26–40)
32 (25–40)
33 (26–40)
0.030
Median (IQR) lowest PaO2, kPa
9.0 (7.7–10.4)
9.1 (7.7–10.6)
8.9 (7.7–10.4)
0.023
Median (IQR) lowest pH
7.3 (7.2–7.4)
7.3 (7.2–7.4)
7.3 (7.2–7.4)
0.002
Median (IQR) associated PaCO2, kPa
6.7 (5.3–8.6)
6.5 (5.2–8.3)
6.7 (5.2–8.3)
<0.001
Mean (SD) APACHE II APSa
15.31 (6.34)
15.09 (6.25)
15.40 (6.38)
0.003
Mean (SD) APACHE II scorea
19.63 (6.89)
19.37 (6.83)
19.74 (6.91)
<0.001

aAPACHE II exclusions: age <16 years; ICU stay <8 hours; readmissions within same hospital stay; transfers from another ICU; admissions following coronary artery bypass grafting; admissions for primary burns. A&E, accident and emergency; APACHE, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation; APS, Acute Physiology Score; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; CAP, community-acquired pneumonia; CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation; GCS, Glasgow Coma score; HDU, high dependency unit; ICU, intensive care unit; IQR, interquartile range; PaCO2, arterial carbon dioxide tension; PaO2, arterial oxygen tension; SBP, systolic blood pressure; SD, standard deviation.

Woodhead et al. Critical Care 2006 10(Suppl 2):S1   doi:10.1186/cc4927