Empirical antibiotic therapy (ABT) of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in the elderly: application of artificial neural network (ANN). Preliminary results.

LRTI are among the most common diseases in developed countries, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), one of the most frequent conditions. Their treatment in general practice is often unsuccessful and this increases hospital admissions. We know, bacterial infections in the elderly show a higher morbidity and mortality, either for more severe symptoms, than in younger adults, or because the causing agent often remains unknown.