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Which Nursing Home Residents With Pneumonia Are Managed On-Site and Which Are Hospitalized? Results from 2 Years' Surveillance in 14 US Homes

Tandan M, Zimmerman S, Sloane PD, Ward K, Daniels LM, Wretman CJ

Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2020

7 citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Pneumonia is a frequent cause of hospitalization among nursing home (NH) residents, but little information is available as to how clinical presentation and other characteristics relate to hospitalization, and the differential use of antimicrobials based on hospitalization status. This study examined how hospitalized and nonhospitalized NH residents with pneumonia differ.

DESIGN: Data from a 2-year prospective study of residents who participated in a randomized controlled trial.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: All residents from 14 NHs in North Carolina followed for pneumonia over a 2-year period.

METHODS: Clinical features, antimicrobial treatment, hospitalization, and demographic data on residents with a pneumonia diagnosis were abstracted from charts; NH information was obtained from NH administrators.

RESULTS: A total of 509 pneumonia episodes were reported for 395 unique residents; the incidence was not higher in the winter months, and 28% were hospitalized. The likelihood of hospitalization did not differ by clinical characteristics except that residents with a respiratory rate >25 breaths per minute were more likely to be hospitalized. Being on hospice [odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-7.4] and not having dementia (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.2) also related to increased likelihood of hospitalization. Fluoroquinolone (usually levofloxacin) monotherapy was the most common treatment (54%) in both settings, and ceftriaxone monotherapy varied by…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.

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