Risk Factors for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Adults: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies.

We performed a systematic review of the literature to establish conclusive evidence of risk factors for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Observational studies (cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies) the primary outcome of which was to assess risk factors for CAP in both hospitalized and ambulatory adult patients with radiologically confirmed pneumonia were selected. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale specific for cohort and case-control designs was used for quality assessment.

DianaHealth.com, an On-Line Database Containing Appraisals of the Clinical Value and Appropriateness of Healthcare Interventions: Database Development and Retrospective Analysis.

Objective: To describe the development of a novel on-line database aimed to serve as a source of information concerning healthcare interventions appraised for their clinical value and appropriateness by several initiatives worldwide, and to present a retrospective analysis of the appraisals already included in the database.

Methods And Findings: Database development and a retrospective analysis. The database DianaHealth.

[Patient characteristics and health care burden during the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 pandemic in the university Hospital Vall d'Hebron of Barcelona].

Background And Objective: The influenza A (H1N1) 2009 pandemic initially had a mild impact in Catalonian hospitals, but in the autumn there was an important pandemic wave. We describe the main characteristics of patients seen in the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona (HUVH) during this pandemic, the risk factors associated with hospitalization and the health-care burden generated.

Material And Method: We included all cases of influenza A (H1N1) 2009 with laboratory confirmation seen in the HUVH from July 2, 2009 to January 22, 2010.

Nursing home-acquired pneumonia: a 10 year single-centre experience.

Background: Pneumonia among nursing home (NH) residents has increased considerably in recent years, but it remains unclear whether it should be considered as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) or a new category of infection.

Methods: 150 consecutive cases of NH-acquired pneumonia (NHAP) (from 1 February 1997 to 1 July 2007) were analysed.

Results: Patients (median age, 82 years; range, 77-87 years) showed numerous co-morbidities, (neurological, 55%; pulmonary, 38%; cardiac, 35%) and severe disability for daily activities (partial, 32%; total, 31%).

Severe community-acquired pneumonia: validation of the Infectious Diseases Society of America/American Thoracic Society guidelines to predict an intensive care unit admission.

Background: The recent Infectious Disease Society of America/American Thoracic Society guidelines for the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults defined a predictive rule to identify patients with severe CAP to determine the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission. We clinically validated this rule.

Methods: We analyzed 2102 episodes of CAP in consecutively hospitalized patients over a 7-year period.

Microbial and clinical determinants of time-to-positivity in patients with bacteraemia.

Time-to-positivity is useful in the diagnosis of catheter-related bacteraemia and as a predictor of an endovascular source in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. However, this parameter has been evaluated for only a limited number of microorganisms. In the present study, time-to-positivity was recorded for 1872 episodes of significant monomicrobial bacteraemia diagnosed at a teaching hospital during a 2-year period, and the associated microbial and clinical variables were investigated.

Prior use of carbapenems may be a significant risk factor for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli or Klebsiella spp. in patients with bacteraemia.

Background: The increasing prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae will probably trigger a rise in the use of carbapenems. The effect of these antibiotics on the risk of involvement of ESBL-producing organisms in serious infections is unclear.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 2172 episodes of healthcare-associated bacteraemia diagnosed during a 3 year period in a teaching hospital.

Usefulness of teicoplanin for preventing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in orthopedic surgery.

In order to gather more data on the use of teicoplanin for reducing MRSA infections in high-risk populations, the present study was conducted. At a hospital in Barcelona, Spain, there was a high prevalence of MRSA infections among patients who underwent surgery for femoral neck fracture during the first 5 months of 2002 (period A) when cefuroxime was the antibiotic prophylaxis. During the following 12 months (period B) 600 mg of teicoplanin was added to cefuroxime.