RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Clinical presentation and evolution of community acquired pneumonia in older patients JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP P2571 VO 40 IS Suppl 56 A1 Adamantia Liapikou A1 Ioanna Malliou A1 Panagiotis Petras A1 Maria Kasiola A1 Andreas Anastasopoulos A1 Michalis Volonakis A1 Dimitra Chaimala A1 Katerina Dimakou YR 2012 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P2571.abstract AB Introduction: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an important threat to the health of older adults with almost 40% of them requiring hospitalization. CAP in the elderly has a different clinical presentation and evolution than CAP in other age groups.Aim: Comparing the characteristics, severity and outcomes of CAP in elderly and younger patients (control group).Methods: An observational, retrospective study of consecutive CAP patients >65 years old was performed during two years in two respiratory clinics. Exclusion criteria were immunosuppression and suspicion of aspiration.Results: Of 180 cases of CAP, 116 patients were>65 years old, with a mean age 75±10.3 years. Most elderly patients (76%) had comorbid conditions, including cardiac (55%), COPD(42%), diabetes mellitus (27%) and neurologic diseases(17%). Two-thirds (68%) of elderly patients belong to CURB65 III –IV classes comparing to 12% of the controls. An acute altered mental status was established in 30% of elderly patients comparing to 11% of the others and 80.5% requiring oxygen assessment, with 47% having PAFI<250. They stay longer in the hospital(11.43 vs 8.46, p=0.02),have more often complications. 12 elderly patients admitted to ICU and a total of 11 patients died (9.5%). The multivariate analysis showed the following factors of bad prognosis: CURB65 score, neurological disease and PAFI<250. Guidelines adherence was the same between the 2 groups and did not correlate with mortality. Conclusions: The elderly patients with CAP presented with higher CURB score, had more complications and mortality associated with the underline comorbitidies and the severity of CAP.