Adverse Events in Patients With Community-Acquired Pneumonia at an Academic Tertiary Emergency Department Do They Contribute to Hospital Death?

Author(s)

Daud-Gallotti, Renata ; Dutilh Novaes, Hillegonda Maria ; Lorenzi, Maria Cecilia ; Eluf-Neto, Jose ; Okamura, Mirna Namie ; Pinto Pizzo, Vladimir Ribeiro ; Velasco, Irineu Tadeu

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN CLINICAL PRACTICE; v. 14, n. 6, p. 10-pg., 2006-11-01.

Abstract

A matched case-control study was carried out at a Brazilian academic medical emergency department to identify the occurrence of adverse events (AEs) in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and disclose their association with in-hospital death. The cases comprised 101 consecutive deaths and the controls 101 discharged patients admitted for CAP from March 1996 to September 1999. Adverse events were classified according to severity, potential causes, the occurrence of nosocomial infections, and the related professional category. A total of 603 AEs were identified, predominating among the deceased patients: 456 events (75.6%) in 85 cases and 147 (24.4%) in 55 controls. Severe AEs also predominated among the cases. Procedures and nursing activities were the main AE-related potential causes. The occurrence of at least 1 AE was associated with a higher risk of death (3.25-fold). This association was stronger when either severe AEs (8.37-fold) or medical AEs (4.23-fold) were analyzed. (AU)