Association of Urine Levels of C-Reactive Protein with Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Pneumonia: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common and serious illness. Most CAP patients are treated in outpatient facilities and only 20% of CAP patients require hospitalization [1]. Among hospitalized CAP patients, the majority of deaths occur during the early days of hospitalization [2]. Early recognition of severity of CAP is essential for initiation of appropriate empiric antibiotic treatment, aggressive diagnostic work-up, and adequate supportive care. Management strategies for CAP patients depend on the severity of CAP and risk of mortality. In patients with severe CAP, a respiratory specimen does not always yield a positive microbiological culture or definitive pathogen. Furthermore, there is no single factor which can predict the severity of CAP [3].