Microbiological diagnosis and antibiotic therapy in patients with community-acquired pneumonia and acute COPD exacerbation in daily clinical practice: comparison to current guidelines.

Background: The aim of this secondary analysis was to evaluate current microbiological approaches, microbiology, and antibiotic therapy in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in clinical practice and to compare them with current international guidelines.

Methods: A total of 362 patients with suspected CAP were enrolled in 14 European centers in a prospective multicenter study.

Results: A total of 279 inpatients (CAP, n = 222; AECOPD, n = 57) were evaluated.

Lung ultrasound in the diagnosis and follow-up of community-acquired pneumonia: a prospective, multicenter, diagnostic accuracy study.

Background: The aim of this prospective, multicenter study was to define the accuracy of lung ultrasound (LUS) in the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods: Three hundred sixty-two patients with suspected CAP were enrolled in 14 European centers. At baseline, history, clinical examination, laboratory testing, and LUS were performed as well as the reference test, which was a radiograph in two planes or a low-dose CT scan in case of inconclusive or negative radiographic but positive LUS findings.