[Diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of community acquired pneumonia - results from three primary care centers in Iceland].

Aims: To study how general practitioners diagnose and treat adult patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) and evaluate outcomes.

Method: Retrospective chart review for one year on patients 18 years and older diagnosed with CAP in three different primary care centers in Iceland.

Results: A total of 215 patients were diagnosed with CAP. Of those 195 were both diagnosed and treated in the primary health care and 20 patients were referred for specialized care. Mean age was 50.3 years (SD= 21.0) and 126 (65%) of the patients were women. Most patients had been ill for less than a week and did not have a previously diagnosed lung disease. Cough was the most common symptom (71%) and 96% had abnormal chest auscultation. Vital signs were frequently not recorded. A chest radiograph was done in third of the cases and showed abnormality in over 80%. Most patients (94%) were treated with antibiotics usually extended spectrum penicillin. Phone consultations were the most common form of communication after diagnosis and about 12% of subjects had their antibiotics changed and about 10% had a chest radiograph done after diagnosis had been made. There was no mortality from CAP during the study period.

Conclusions: CAP was diagnosed clinically and managed in primary care in most cases. CAP was more common in women and a minority of patients had underlying lung diseases. Vital sign measurements were used less than expected. Broad spectrum antibiotics were widely used for treatment. CAP had no mortality.