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To assess the conformity of practitioners' practices in the management of community acquired pneumonia with the French Agence Nationale d'Accréditation et d'Evaluation en Santé (Anaes) guidelines.We retrospectively reviewed a random sample of 210 medical records which included a principal or associated diagnosis of pneumonia in a French university hospital.A hundred and one medical records were assessable. Sixty-two patients were high risk (Pneumonia Severity Index class IV or V of the prediction rule of Fine et al.), and 10 patients were admitted into an intensive care unit. The overall in-hospital mortality was 14 patients [8-22]. The level of care was appropriate according to the guidelines in 40 cases ([30-50)]. Seven patients did not require hospitalisation, 31 patients required admission into a medical department, 56 patients into an intensive care unit and 7 patients were managed in non specified conditions. Eighteen patients ([11-27]) had appropriate microbiologic investigations. Forty-three patients (([33-53]) received antibiotics within 8 hours of arrival. Empirical antibiotic treatment (dosage and molecule) was appropriate in 38 patients ([28-48]). There was no significant relationship between compliance with the guidelines and in-hospital mortality.The rate of conformity of practitioners' practices with the Anaes guidelines for management of community-acquired pneumonia is low in our hospital. It could be improved by active implementation of these guidelines.