Clinical characteristics and outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia in western Saudi Arabia: A four-year retrospective analysis of medical records

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, especially for the elderly and people who suffer from chronic conditions. This study was conducted to assess the clinical and microbiological characteristics and disease outcomes associated with the occurrence of CAP. Methods: This retrospective chart review was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Cases with documented clinical diagnosis of CAP during the period from 2016 to 2019 were included. Data were collected on demographic, clinical, and microbiological characteristics, used antimicrobials and patients’ outcomes, including length of hospital stay, intensive care unit admission, and mortality. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for increased length of hospital stay. Results: A total of two hundred and eighteen CAP episodes were identified. Patients had a median age of 64.5 years, and 54.1% were males. Microbiological diagnosis was established in 33 patients (15.1%). Admission to ICU and diagnosis of a neurological disease were significantly associated with longer hospital stay (>7 days). An average of 2.7 antimicrobials were used per patient, and the most common antibiotics used were Piperacillin/Tazobactam (46.3%), Doxycycline (44%), then Ceftriaxone (42.7%). Four patients (1.8%) died during hospital stay. Conclusions: This retrospective analysis of CAP cases identified a lack of microbiological diagnosis and increased burden associated with disease severity and the need for hospitalization. The ability to identify CAP at an earlier stage will be a cornerstone to mitigate its impact on the healthcare system and ICU units.