Introduction
To describe clinical features, complications, serotypes and antibiotic resistance in pneumococcal pneumonia in our environment after the generalization of the heptavalent conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) in paediatrics.
Material and methods
Prospective study of episodes of pneumococcal pneumonia, with positive cultures in patients treated in the emergency department from January 2006 to February 2010.
Results
We studied 346 episodes in 320 patients, 335 belonged to 309 adult patients, 221 (71.5 % ) males, median age 68 years (range 16-94), and 11 episodes to patients < 15 years. Two-hundred and thirty seven (68.5 % ) episodes were community acquired. Bacteraemia was present in 130 (37.6 % ) cases, with a tendency towards an increased risk in patients < 65 years (OR = 1.56, 95 % CI 0.96- 2.56, P = .07). Thirteen (3.8 % ) patients developed empyema and 33 (9.5 % ) septic shock. The mean age of patients with empyema was lower (P = .03). In the multivariate analysis were related to the presence of bacteraemia: a history of chronic respiratory disease (OR = 0.45, 95 % CI 0.25-0.81, P = .008), positive urinary antigen (OR 2.02, 95 % CI 1 13-3.62, P = .01) and pleural effusion (OR = 3.86, 95 % CI 1.79-8.35, P = .001). Shock was associated with Fine IV-V stage (OR = 23.6, 95 % CI 4.96-112.82, P < .001), age < 65 years (OR = 4.47, 95 % CI 1.75-11.39, P = .002) and pleural effusion (OR = 4.15, 95 % CI 1.65 to 10.41, P = .002).
Increased mortality risk was associated with presence of any complication (OR = 6.6, 95 % CI 1.5-27.2, P = .009) and specifically septic shock (OR = 3.3, 95 % CI 1.06-10.3, P = .04). Most serotypes obtained were not included in the VNC-7.
Conclusions
Pneumococcal pneumonia after generalisation of PCV-7 is mainly related to non-vaccine serotypes. Younger patients without respiratory disease are at increased risk of bacteraemia, empyema, and septic shock, the latter being associated with a higher mortality.
