Association between echocardiographic features, troponin levels, and survival time in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular events.

Introduction: This study aims to explore the predictive roles of echocardiographic parameters and biomarkers in determining outcomes among hospitalized COVID-19 patients experiencing cardiovascular events. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 49 COVID-19 patients who encountered cardiovascular events during hospitalization and underwent echocardiography. Our findings revealed notable associations between echocardiographic parameters and survival time. Results: A decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 10% was linked to a 20% reduction in survival time (TR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67 - 0.96, p = .017). Similarly, an increase in left ventricular (LV) volume by 10 mL was associated with a 9% decrease in survival time (TR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84 - 0.98, p = .011). Moreover, an increase in left atrial (LA) volume by 10 mL corresponded to an 8% decrease in survival time (TR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86 - 0.99, p = .026). Additionally, each 1 cm increase in right ventricular (RV) diameter was linked to a 22% reduction in survival time (TR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.61 - 0.99, p = .043). Furthermore, a 10 mL increase in right atrial (RA) volume was associated with a 12% decrease in survival time (TR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.78 - 0.98, p = .017). Notably, a tenfold rise in troponin levels was linked to a 33% decrease in survival time (TR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.48 - 0.93, p = .014). Conclusions: Our study emphasizes the significant associations between various echocardiographic parameters and troponin levels with reduced survival time among COVID-19 patients experiencing cardiovascular events. These findings highlight the potential utility of echocardiography and troponin assessment in predicting outcomes and guiding management strategies in this patient population.

Detection of COVID-19 by quantitative analysis of carbonyl compounds in exhaled breath.

COVID-19 has caused a worldwide pandemic, creating an urgent need for early detection methods. Breath analysis has shown great potential as a non-invasive and rapid means for COVID-19 detection. The objective of this study is to detect patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and even the possibility to screen between different SARS-CoV-2 variants by analysis of carbonyl compounds in breath. Carbonyl compounds in exhaled breath are metabolites related to inflammation and oxidative stress induced by diseases. This study included a cohort of COVID-19 positive and negative subjects confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction between March and December 2021. Carbonyl compounds in exhaled breath were captured using a microfabricated silicon microreactor and analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). A total of 321 subjects were enrolled in this study. Of these, 141 (85 males, 60.3%) (mean ± SD age: 52 ± 15 years) were COVID-19 (55 during the alpha wave and 86 during the delta wave) positive and 180 (90 males, 50%) (mean ± SD age: 45 ± 15 years) were negative. Panels of a total of 34 ketones and aldehydes in all breath samples were identified for detection of COVID-19 positive patients. Logistic regression models indicated high accuracy/sensitivity/specificity for alpha wave (98.4%/96.4%/100%), for delta wave (88.3%/93.0%/84.6%) and for all COVID-19 positive patients (94.7%/90.1%/98.3%). The results indicate that COVID-19 positive patients can be detected by analysis of carbonyl compounds in exhaled breath. The technology for analysis of carbonyl compounds in exhaled breath has great potential for rapid screening and detection of COVID-19 and for other infectious respiratory diseases in future pandemics.

Different clinical characteristics and outcomes of adult hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia patients complicated by cardiovascular events during the first, delta and omicron waves of COVID-19.

Background: The effects of SARS-CoV-2 have varied between significant waves of hospitalization. Research question: Are cardiovascular complications different among the first, delta and omicron waves of hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia patients? Study design and methods: This was a multi-centre retrospective study of patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia: 632 were hospitalized during the first wave (March-July 2020), 1013 during the delta wave (September 2020-March 2021), and 323 during the omicron wave (January 2022-July 2022). Patients were stratified by wave and occurrence of cardiovascular events. Results: Among all hospitalized patients with cardiovascular events, patients in the omicron wave were younger (62.4 ± 14 years) than patients in the first wave (67.4 ± 7.8 years) and the delta wave (66.9 ± 12.6 years) and had a higher proportion of non-Hispanic White people than in the first wave (78.6% vs. 61.7%). For COVID-19 patients who suffered from cardiovascular events, the omicron wave patients had significantly higher neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, white blood cell and platelet counts when compared to the first wave. Omicron wave patients had significantly lower albumin and B-type natriuretic peptide levels (only 5.8% of the first wave and 14.6% of the delta wave) when compared to either the first wave or delta wave patients. In COVID-19 patients who suffered cardiovascular events during hospitalization, mortality rate in the omicron wave (26.8%) was significantly lower than the first wave (48.3%), time to mortality for non-survivors of COVID-19 patients who suffered cardiovascular events was significantly longer in the omicron wave (median 16 days) than in the first wave (median 10 days). Conclusions: Younger and white patients were affected with cardiovascular complications more often by the omicron variant. Despite higher neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and WBC counts, the omicron patients with cardiovascular events showed lower heart injuries, lower mortality and longer time to mortality for non-survivors when compared to the first and delta waves.

Association of pulmonary function test abnormalities and quality-of-life measures after COVID-19 infection.

BACKGROUND: Long-COVID is a multisystem disease that can lead to significant impairments in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Following COVID-19 infection, abnormalities on pulmonary function tests (PFT) are common. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate for any correlation between PFT abnormalities and impairment in HRQoL scores following COVID-19 infection. METHODS: This is an analysis of a prospective cohort of patients in Louisville, KY who were infected with COVID-19. Data collected included demographics, past medical history, laboratory tests, PFTs, and several HRQoL questionnaires such as the EuroQol 5 Dimension HRQoL questionnaire (EQ-5D-5 L), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Posttraumatic stress disorder checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Descriptive statistics were performed, comparing PFTs (normal vs abnormal) and time since COVID-19 infection (3- vs 6- vs ≥ 12 months). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in FEV1, FVC, or the percentage of patients with abnormal PFTs over time after COVID-19 infection. Following COVID-19, patients with normal PFTs had worse impairment in mobility HRQoL scores and change in GAD-7 scores over time. There were no differences over time in any of the HRQoL scores among patients with abnormal PFTs. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with an abnormal PFT, there was no temporal association with HRQoL scores as measured by EQ-5D-5 L, GAD-7, PHQ-9, and PCL-5. Among patients with a normal PFT, mobility impairment and anxiety may be associated with COVID-19 infection. Following COVID-19 infection, impairment in HRQoL scores is not completely explained by the presence of abnormalities on spirometry.

Community-Acquired Pneumonia in the Immunocompromised Host: Epidemiology and Outcomes.

Background: The epidemiology and outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in immunocompromised hosts (ICHs) are not well defined. The objective of this study was to define the epidemiology and outcomes of CAP in ICHs as compared with non-ICHs. Methods: This ancillary study included a prospective cohort of hospitalized adult Louisville residents with CAP from 1 June 2014 to 31 May 2016. An ICH was defined per the criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Geospatial epidemiology explored associations between ICHs hospitalized with CAP and income level, race, and age. Mortality for ICHs and non-ICHs was evaluated during hospitalization and 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year after hospitalization. Results: A total of 761 (10%) ICHs were identified among 7449 patients hospitalized with CAP. The most common immunocompromising medical conditions or treatments were advanced-stage cancer (53%), cancer chemotherapy (23%), and corticosteroid use (20%). Clusters of ICHs hospitalized with CAP were found in areas associated with low-income and Black or African American populations. Mortality by time point for ICHs vs non-ICHs was as follows: hospitalization, 9% vs 5%; 30 days, 24% vs 11%; 6 months, 44% vs 21%; and 1 year, 53% vs 27%, respectively. Conclusions: Approximately 1 in 10 hospitalized patients with CAP is immunocompromised, with advanced-stage cancer being the most frequent immunocompromising condition, as seen in half of all patients who are immunocompromised. Risk for hospitalization may be influenced by socioeconomic disparities and/or race. ICHs have a 2-fold increase in mortality as compared with non-ICHs.

A feasibility study on exhaled breath analysis using UV spectroscopy to detect COVID-19.

A 23-subject feasibility study is reported to assess how UV absorbance measurements on exhaled breath samples collected from silicon microreactors can be used to detect COVID-19. The silicon microreactor technology chemoselectively preconcentrates exhaled carbonyl volatile organic compounds and subsequent methanol elution provides samples for analysis. The underlying scientific rationale that viral infection will induce an increase in exhaled carbonyls appears to be supported by the results of the feasibility study. The data indicate statistically significant differences in measured UV absorbance values between healthy and symptomatic COVID-19 positive subjects in the wavelength range from 235 nm to 305 nm. Factors such as subject age were noted as potential confounding variables.

Persistent SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Multiple Sclerosis Patient on Ocrelizumab: A Case Report.

A 44-year-old female patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with ocrelizumab was hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia three times over the course of five months, eventually expiring. Viral sequencing of samples from her first and last admissions suggests a single persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection. We hypothesize that her immunocompromised state, due to MS treatment with an immunosuppressive monoclonal antibody, prevented her from achieving viral clearance.

Spinal cord epidural stimulation for motor and autonomic function recovery after chronic spinal cord injury: A case series and technical note.

Background: Traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) is a debilitating condition, leading to chronic morbidity and mortality. In recent peer-reviewed studies, spinal cord epidural stimulation (scES) enabled voluntary movement and return of over-ground walking in a small number of patients with motor complete SCI. Using the most extensive case series (n = 25) for chronic SCI, the present report describes our motor and cardiovascular and functional outcomes, surgical and training complication rates, quality of life (QOL) improvements, and patient satisfaction results after scES. Methods: This prospective study occurred at the University of Louisville from 2009 to 2020. scES interventions began 2-3 weeks after surgical implantation of the scES device. Perioperative complications were recorded as well as long-term complications during training and device related events. QOL outcomes and patient satisfaction were evaluated using the impairment domains model and a global patient satisfaction scale, respectively. Results: Twenty-five patients (80% male, mean age of 30.9 ± 9.4 years) with chronic motor complete tSCI underwent scES using an epidural paddle electrode and internal pulse generator. The interval from SCI to scES implantation was 5.9 ± 3.4 years. Two participants (8%) developed infections, and three additional patients required washouts (12%). All participants achieved voluntary movement after implantation. A total of 17 research participants (85%) reported that the procedure either met (n = 9) or exceeded (n = 8) their expectations, and 100% would undergo the operation again. Conclusion: scES in this series was safe and achieved numerous benefits on motor and cardiovascular regulation and improved patient-reported QOL in multiple domains, with a high degree of patient satisfaction. The multiple previously unreported benefits beyond improvements in motor function render scES a promising option for improving QOL after motor complete SCI. Further studies may quantify these other benefits and clarify scES's role in SCI patients.

Misdiagnosis of Clostridioides difficile Infections by Standard-of-Care Specimen Collection and Testing among Hospitalized Adults, Louisville, Kentucky, USA, 2019-20201.

Although Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) incidence is high in the United States, standard-of-care (SOC) stool collection and testing practices might result in incidence overestimation or underestimation. We conducted diarrhea surveillance among inpatients >50 years of age in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, during October 14, 2019-October 13, 2020; concurrent SOC stool collection and CDI testing occurred independently. A study CDI case was nucleic acid amplification test‒/cytotoxicity neutralization assay‒positive or nucleic acid amplification test‒positive stool in a patient with pseudomembranous colitis. Study incidence was adjusted for hospitalization share and specimen collection rate and, in a sensitivity analysis, for diarrhea cases without study testing. SOC hospitalized CDI incidence was 121/100,000 population/year; study incidence was 154/100,000 population/year and, in sensitivity analysis, 202/100,000 population/year. Of 75 SOC CDI cases, 12 (16.0%) were not study diagnosed; of 109 study CDI cases, 44 (40.4%) were not SOC diagnosed. CDI incidence estimates based on SOC CDI testing are probably underestimated.

Automated hand hygiene compliance system's audible alert reminder increases healthcare worker hand hygiene compliance.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of an automated hand hygiene compliance system (AHHCS) audible alert and vibration for increasing hand hygiene compliance. DESIGN: A nonrandomized, before-and-after, quasi-experimental study of an AHHCS was implemented in several inpatient units. Over a 51-day period, the system's real-time audible alert was turned on, off, and back on. Overall, hand hygiene compliance was compared between days with activated and deactivated alerts and vibration. SETTING: This study was conducted at a level 1 trauma center, a regional academic health system with 1,564 beds. PARTICIPANTS: The AHHCS was implemented in 9 inpatient units: 3 adult medical-surgical step-down units, and 6 adult intensive care units. The AHHCS badges were assigned to patient care assistants, registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists, and physicians. INTERVENTION: In the 9 inpatient units, selected healthcare staff were issued wearable badges that detected entry into and exit from a patient room. The audible alert was turned on for 16 days, turned off for 17 days, and then turned back on for 18 days, for a total of 51 days. RESULTS: Utilization of the AHHCS real-time audible alert reminder resulted in sustained HH compliance ≥90%. When the alert and vibration were deactivated, HH compliance dropped to an average of 74% (range, 62%-78%). Once the alert resumed, HH compliance returned to ≥90%. CONCLUSION: Utilization of an AHHCS with real-time reminder audible alerts may be an effective method to increase healthcare worker HH compliance to ≥90%. Users of AHHCSs should consider the use of real-time reminders to improve HH compliance.

Primary Spinal Glioblastoma Mimicking Neuroschistosomiasis: A Case Report.

Primary glioblastoma of the spinal cord (sGB) is a rare and challenging diagnosis. In the diagnostic algorithm, reversible causes should be considered while the diagnosis of sGB is under evaluation. We present a case of cervical sGB mimicking neuroschistosomiasis. A 21-year-old Somali man presented with neck pain, sensory disturbances, and spastic tetraplegia. Cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging with contrast showed a heterogeneously enhancing intramedullary mass spanning from the level of the C1 to T3 vertebrae. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed a lymphocytic predominance and elevated protein. Due to the patient's history of poorly treated schistosomiasis, praziquantel and dexamethasone were initiated while the diagnostic work-up was completed. Three days after the patient was discharged to a rehabilitation facility where he experienced worsened motor function with radiographic progression of the lesion and increased cord edema. The patient underwent a surgical biopsy which confirmed a diagnosis of primary sGB. sGB is an unusual diagnosis that can masquerade as a non-neoplastic lesion. However, the diagnosis of sGB should be considered in patients with an intramedullary spinal cord lesion who exhibit rapid radiographic and clinical progression.

Clostridioides difficile toxin is infrequently detected in inflammatory bowel disease and does not associate with clinical outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) rates and outcomes can vary based on differences in testing strategy. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of toxin detection in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when compared to those without IBD. Secondly, the clinical outcomes of CDI in IBD were assessed using two-step testing strategies. METHODS: We included patients undergoing CDI testing from four academic centers in the United States between January 1, 2018 and June 30, 2020. First the prevalence of toxin detection was compared between individuals with IBD and those without IBD. Secondly, among patients with IBD a primary composite outcome of abdominal colectomy, admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) or death within 30 days of C. difficile testing was assessed across the three categorical groups (screen positive/toxin positive, screen positive/toxin negative and screen negative assay) resulting from the two-step testing strategy. RESULTS: When comparing individuals with a positive screening assay, patients with IBD were less likely to have toxin detected by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) as compared to the non-IBD population (22/145 (15.2%) vs. 413/1144 (36.1%), p < 0.0001). Among all patients with IBD (n = 300), twenty-five (8.3%) had a screen positive assay/toxin positive assay, 136 (45.3%) had a screen positive/toxin negative assay and 139 (46.3%) had a negative screening assay. No significant difference in the primary composite outcome was detected across the three groups (p = 0.566). CONCLUSION: When compared to those without IBD, patients with IBD have a reduced proportion of cases of C. difficile with toxin positivity. Differences in clinical outcomes among patients with IBD were not detected and limited by the infrequent detection of expressed toxin.

Case Report: Syphilitic Hepatitis-A Rare and Underrecognized Etiology of Liver Disease With Potential for Misdiagnosis.

Syphilitic hepatitis (SH) in adults is a rare condition that can be easily misdiagnosed. Clinical and histopathologic manifestations of SH can mimic other infectious and non-infectious conditions, and the diagnosis should be considered in all at-risk patients with abnormal liver function tests. We present an unusual case of SH presenting with seizures and multiple liver lesions. This case report, in line with other newly published reports, promotes awareness of SH as a rare manifestation of treponemal infection and highlights the importance of including SH in the differential diagnosis for patients at risk for sexually transmitted infections and presenting with liver enzyme abnormalities. From a hospital quality control and socioeconomic perspective, our case adds to the growing body of evidence that demonstrates an increasing incidence of patients suffering from venereal diseases and injection drug use disorders, and the burden these conditions place on the healthcare system. Recognition of the clinicopathologic features of SH is required to prevent missed diagnosis and to foster systematic crosstalk between healthcare staff and public health personnel managing this problem.

Induction of interferon response by high viral loads at early stage infection may protect against severe outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Key elements for viral pathogenesis include viral strains, viral load, co-infection, and host responses. Several studies analyzing these factors in the function of disease severity of have been published; however, no studies have shown how all of these factors interplay within a defined cohort. To address this important question, we sought to understand how these four key components interplay in a cohort of COVID-19 patients. We determined the viral loads and gene expression using high throughput sequencing and various virological methods. We found that viral loads in the upper respiratory tract in COVID-19 patients at an early phase of infection vary widely. While the majority of nasopharyngeal (NP) samples have a viral load lower than the limit of detection of infectious viruses, there are samples with an extraordinary amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and a high viral titer. No specific viral factors were identified that are associated with high viral loads. Host gene expression analysis showed that viral loads were strongly correlated with cellular antiviral responses. Interestingly, however, COVID-19 patients who experience mild symptoms have a higher viral load than those with severe complications, indicating that naso-pharyngeal viral load may not be a key factor of the clinical outcomes of COVID-19. The metagenomics analysis revealed that the microflora in the upper respiratory tract of COVID-19 patients with high viral loads were dominated by SARS-CoV-2, with a high degree of dysbiosis. Finally, we found a strong inverse correlation between upregulation of interferon responses and disease severity. Overall our study suggests that a high viral load in the upper respiratory tract may not be a critical factor for severe symptoms; rather, dampened antiviral responses may be a critical factor for a severe outcome from the infection.

The reliability of saliva for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients: Insights on the diagnostic performance and utility for COVID-19 screening.

Current literature has focused on testing saliva in symptomatic patients, and little information is available regarding saliva performance in asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We compared paired saliva and nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) collected from 33 symptomatic and 12 asymptomatic known SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. Saliva had an overall sensitivity of 59%, a specificity of 95%, and a negative predictive value of 98%. Saliva demonstrated higher sensitivity in symptomatic (80%) vs. asymptomatic individuals (36%) (P = 0.006), and in high-risk (symptomatic, febrile and/or with comorbidities) (82%) vs. low-risk (asymptomatic, afebrile, and no comorbidities) (22%) patients (P = 0.0002). Cycle threshold (Ct) values in NPS specimens were higher in saliva-negative vs. saliva-positive cases (P = 0.02 and <0.001). Overall, these findings show that despite saliva's low sensitivity in asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections, it can detect infections with lower Ct values and a potentially higher chance of viral transmission. Additional studies are warranted to fully evaluate saliva as a screening test for coronavirus disease-2019.

Surveillance testing reveals a significant proportion of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic.

BACKGROUND: The proportion of positive patients admitted to acute-care hospitals for reasons other than coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is unknown. These patients potentially put other patients and healthcare workers at risk of infection. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to define the proportion of asymptomatic patients admitted with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Secondary objectives were to define the positivity rate, reasons for admission, and the geographic distribution in the region. METHODS: Universal surveillance testing for SARS-CoV-2 was performed on patients admitted to this hospital over a 12-week period from April 9, 2020 to July 1, 2020. Positive patients were categorized as either symptomatic or asymptomatic as defined by the 11 criteria per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The positivity rate, proportion with and without symptoms, reasons for admission, and geographic distribution in the region were recorded. RESULTS: The positivity rate ranged from 0.8% to 6.2%. The proportion of asymptomatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 was 37%. Asymptomatic patients primarily presented to the hospital because of either trauma or labor. Some clusters in the region were identified of both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of asymptomatic patients admitted with SARS-CoV-2 was significant. Identifying and isolating asymptomatic patients likely prevented exposure and development of hospital-acquired COVID-19 cases among healthcare workers and other patients, supporting the universal surveillance of all admitted patients.

Pneumonia in older adults.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to address the relevant issues surrounding older adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) today. RECENT FINDINGS: Approximately 1 million people >65 years have CAP in the US per year, which is more than previously reported (or realized). Older adults are vulnerable to the increasing prevalence of viral CAP, as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic emphasizes, but pneumococcus is still the most common pathogen to cause CAP. Racial disparities continue to need to be addressed in order to improve early and late outcomes of older adults with CAP. SUMMARY: The epidemiology of CAP, specifically for older adults is changing. More recent pathogen incidence studies have included culture, as well as newer microbiological methods to determine etiology. Current disparities among disadvantaged populations, including African-Americans, result in more comorbidities which predisposes to more severe CAP. However, outcomes in the hospital between races tend to be similar, and outcomes between age groups tends to be worse for older compared to younger adults. Finally, the cost of CAP is significant compared to diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction and stroke.

The Burden of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Requiring Admission to ICU in the United States.

BACKGROUND: A paucity of studies have assessed the epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) that require ICU admission. We conducted a study on this group of patients with the primary objective of defining the incidence, epidemiology, and mortality rate of CAP in the ICUs in Louisville, Kentucky. The secondary objective was to estimate the number of patients who were hospitalized and the number of deaths that were associated with CAP in ICU in the United States. RESEARCH QUESTIONS: What is epidemiology of CAP in the ICU in Louisville, Kentucky, and the projected incidence in the United States? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective population-based cohort study. The setting was all nine adult hospitals in Louisville, Kentucky. The annual incidence of CAP in the ICU per 100,000 adults was calculated for the whole adult population of Louisville. The number of patients who were hospitalized because of CAP in ICU in the United States was estimated by multiplying the Louisville incidence rate of CAP in ICU by the 2014 US adult population. RESULTS: From a total of 7,449 unique patients who were hospitalized with CAP, 1,707 patients (23%) were admitted to the ICU. The incidence of CAP in the ICU was 145 cases per 100,000 population of adults. Cases of CAP in the ICU were clustered in patients from areas of the city with high poverty. The mortality rate of patients with CAP in ICU was 27% at 30 days and 47% at one year. In the United States, the estimated number of patients who were hospitalized with CAP requiring the ICU was 356,326 per year, and the estimated number of deaths at 30 days and one year were 96,206 and 167,474, respectively. INTERPRETATION: Almost one in five patients who are hospitalized with CAP requires intensive care. Poverty is associated with CAP in the ICU. Nearly one-half of patients with CAP in the ICU will die within one year. Because of its significant burden, CAP in the ICU should be a high priority in research agenda and health policy.

Viral respiratory infections: a cause of community-acquired pneumonia or a predisposing factor?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A cause for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is only identified in ∼50% of cases. Nasopharyngeal PCR panels contain more viruses than previously. The problem then becomes determining the relevance of the organisms identified rather than figuring out which virus is present. This review addresses how to distinguish between viral CAP and bacterial CAP, how viral CAP predisposes to bacterial CAP and some novel antiviral treatment being conducted. RECENT FINDINGS: The pneumonia severity index has been studied in patients with viral CAP. There are new studies using biomarkers to help determine when antimicrobial treatment is needed in CAP patients, and there is still no consensus. Newer devices are being invented in an effort to separate upper from lower respiratory organisms to make test results more relevant. Several outcome studies in patients with viral CAP are reviewed. SUMMARY: In addition to clinical correlation, using biomarkers can be useful to distinguish viral from bacterial CAP. Outcomes in patients with a co-infection are generally worse as a viral infection may predispose someone to a bacterial pneumonia. Influenza CAP treatment may be initially accompanied with antimicrobials until a patient's diagnosis is clear (∼48-72 h). Future research is being conducted for antiviral treatment more than for influenza.