ABSTRACT
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.