HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Article Archive Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by de Roux, A. Articles by Torres, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by de Roux, A. Articles by Torres, A.

Impact of Alcohol Abuse in the Etiology and Severity of Community-Acquired Pneumonia^*

^* From the Servei de Pneumologia Institut del Tórax (Drs. de Roux, Cavalcanti, and Torres), the Servei de Microbiologia (Dr. Marcos), and the Servei de Malalties Infecciosas (Drs. Garcia and Mensa), Hospital Clinic, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; and the Pneumologische Klinik (Dr. Ewig), Augusta-Kranken-Anstalt, Bochum, Germany.

Correspondence to: Antoni Torres, MD, Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Clinic, Villarroel 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; e-mail: atorres{at}ub.edu

Abstract

Background and study objectives: Alcohol consumption is known to affect both systemic and pulmonary immunity, predisposing the patient to pulmonary infections. The aim of this study was to compare the etiology of disease, the antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae, the severity of disease, and the outcome of patients with alcohol abuse to those of nonalcoholic (NA) patients who have been hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods: From 1997 to 2001, clinical, microbiological, radiographic, and laboratory data, and follow-up variables of all consecutive patients who had been hospitalized with CAP were recorded. Patients were classified as alcoholic (A) [n = 128] or ex-alcoholic (EA) patients (n = 54) and were compared to NA patients (n = 1,165).

Results: S pneumoniae was found significantly more frequently in all patients with alcohol misuse. As regards the rates of antibiotic resistance, invasive pneumococcal disease, and other microorganisms, no differences were found. The severity criteria for CAP according to the American Thoracic Society were more frequent in A patients, but mortality did not differ significantly. Multivariate analysis showed an independent association between pneumococcal CAP and alcoholism (A patients: odds ratio [OR], 1.6; p = 0.033; EA patients: OR, 2.1; p = 0.016).

Conclusions: We found an independent association between pneumococcal infection and alcoholism. Current alcohol abuse was associated with severe CAP. No significant differences were found in mortality, antibiotic resistance of S pneumoniae, and other etiologies.

Key Words: alcohol • antibiotic resistance • chronic liver disease • community-acquired pneumonia • Streptococcus pneumoniae

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. E. Gulmez, A. Holm, H. Frederiksen, T. G. Jensen, C. Pedersen, and J. Hallas Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors and the Risk of Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Population-Based Case-Control Study Arch Intern Med, May 14, 2007; 167(9): 950 - 955. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Alcoholism, Pneumococci, and Pneumonia -- A Bad Mix Journal Watch Infectious Diseases, July 12, 2006; 2006(712): 5 - 5. [Full Text]