Testing Strategies in the Initial Management of Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia
- Joshua P. Metlay, MD, PhD; and
- Michael J. Fine, MD, MSc
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From Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Veterans
Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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Figure 1. The effects of history and physical examination findings separately and in combination were examined in the ambulatory
care setting, where the baseline prevalence of community-acquired pneumonia is 5%. Likelihood ratios derived from were applied
to the baseline prevalence by using the Bayes theorem (post-test odds = pretest odds × likelihood ratio). The range of revised
probabilities depicted by the width of each bar reflects the range of likelihood ratios observed for these findings. The finding
of normal vital signs requires heart rate of 100 beats/min or less, temperature of 37.8 °C or less, and respiratory rate of
20 breaths/min or less . Revised pneumonia probabilities based on history and physical examination findings.Table 1(19)
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Figure 2. Step 1 identifies patients in risk class I on the basis of age 50 years or younger and the absence of all comorbid
conditions and vital sign abnormalities listed in step 2. For all patients who are not classified as risk class I, the laboratory
data listed in step 2 should be collected to calculate a pneumonia severity score. Risk class and recommended site of care
based on the pneumonia severity score are listed in the final table. Thirty-day mortality data are based on two independent
cohorts of 40 326 patients. For additional information, see reference 97 BP = blood pressure; BUN = blood urea nitrogen. Application of the Pneumonia Patient Outcomes Research Team Severity Index to determine initial site of treatment..
- Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians
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Ann Intern Med
January 21, 2003
vol. 138
no. 2
109-118