From the authors:
We thank A.M. Collins and co-workers, and P.J. Marcos and co-workers for their interest in our article [1].
It is encouraging to see that similar results were obtained by A.M. Collins and co-workers in their retrospective study. An effective supported home-care scheme for mild community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) would be the way forward.
We also agree with P.J. Marcos and co-workers that our study was only a stepping stone to identifying the pertinent issue of who needs hospital admission in low-risk CURB-65 (confusion, urea >7 mmol·L−1, respiratory frequency ≥30 breaths·min−1, systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≤60mmHg and age ≥65 yrs) CAP. A prospective study is highly desirable, as this would also help us to devise criteria for early supported home-care discharges in stable patients with mild CAP.
Footnotes
Statement of Interest
None declared.
- ©ERS 2012