Abstract
Background: Recurrence of pneumonia is a major clinical problem being faced in the aging society like Japan. However, information on incidence rates and risk factors of recurrent pneumonia in Asia, including Japan, has not been reported.
Aims and objectives: 1) To estimate the incidence rates for recurrence of pneumonia; 2) To identify its risk factors in Japan
Methods: We actively registered all patients aged≥15 with a community-onset pneumonia at a community-hospital in the central Japan from February 2012 to January 2013. The patients were followed for the re-registration of pneumonia until January 2014. Hospital physicians and research clinician collected demographic, clinical and laboratory data prospectively at the first enrollment. Cox proportional hazards models was applied for the risk analysis.
Results: Of 1,128 patients registered during the study period, 841 patients with the mean (range) age of 68 (15 -101) year-old were eligible for this analysis. 137 patients were re-registered with recurrent pneumonia out of 1,044 person-years observation (PYO). The incidence rate was 13 per 100 PYO (95% Confidence Interval 11.1 - 15.5). Multivariate analysis identified ≥75 years of age (adjusted odds ratio 2.60; 95% C.I. 1.06 - 6.43), past pneumonia history (1.95; 1.35 - 2.80), chronic pulmonary diseases (1.86; 1.24 - 2.78) and the use of hypnotics (2.06; 1.28 - 3.31) and inhaled corticosteroid (1.78; 1.12 - 2.84) as an independent risk factor while angiotensin - converting enzyme inhibitor (0.22; 0.05 - 0.91) as a protective factor.
Conclusions: Recurrent pneumonia is common and a special attention should be paid to their medication.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015
