Table 1 Characteristics of valid cases (n = 45)

N patients

22 (14 m/8 f)

23 (16 m/4 f)

ns

Age (years)

61 (48 to 66)

66 (49 to 70)

ns

Comorbidity conditions

   COPD

2

4

ns

   Cardiovascular disease

2

4

ns

   Diabetes melllitus

4

2

ns

Symptoms

   Fever >38.5°C

18

20

   Cough

14

18

ns

   Breathlessness

17

16

ns

   Expectoration

10

10

ns

   Chest pain

10

11

ns

   Chills

13

14

ns

   Altered mental status

0

0

ns

   Duration of symptoms (days)

5 (3 to 8)

5 (3 to 7)

ns

Clinical signs

   Temperature*

38.6 (38 to 39)

38.5 (37.6 to 39.5)

ns

   Heart rate*

102 (96 to 125)

109 (100 to 120)

ns

   Respiratory rate*

32 (30 to 40)

35 (30 to 38)

ns

Blood tests

   White cell × 10⁹*

10.2 (7.4 to 13.5)

13.5 (11.4 to 15.6)

0.01

   Urea (mmol/dl) *

7 (5 to 12)

9 (7 to 12)

ns

   pO2/FiO2*

257 (209 to 276)

200 (233 to 236)

ns

Radiological findings

   Bilobar

11 (50%)

15 (65%)

ns

   Multilobar

11 (50%)

8 (35%)

ns

Previous antibiotic treatment

5 (23%)

4 (17%)

ns

SAPS*

7 (6 to 12)

8 (5 to12)

ns

Fine Score

   I

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

ns

   II

3 (14%)

1 (4%)

ns

   III

7 (32%)

6 (26%)

ns

   IV

11 (50%)

14 (61%)

ns

   V

1 (4%)

1 (4%)

ns