Clinical, subclinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with community - acquired pneumonia at risk of pes infection

This study aims to describe the clinical and subclinical characteristics and evaluate treatment outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients at risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (PES) infection. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 90 CAP patients with potential PES infection admitted to the Respiratory Department of Can Tho Central General Hospital in 2023. Most cases presented with symptoms, including moist rales (91.1%), increased cough (90%), dyspnea (86%), purulent sputum production (77.8%), and consolidation syndrome (71.1%). More than half of the cases exhibited fever (54.4%). A white blood cell count increase was typical (13.31 x 109 cells/L) and predominantly neutrophilic (81.3 ± 19.7%). Chest radiography predominantly showed bilateral infiltration (58.9%). PES pathogens were isolated in 30 patients (33.3%). The majority of cases did not respond to initial antibiotics (56.6%), most of the cases were stable and cured (accounting for 91.1%) with an average hospital stay of 8 days. Patients with CAP at risk of PES infection exhibit typical acute symptoms and laboratory features of conventional CAP. Most responded poorly to initial treatment, but the final treatment resulted in a very high rate of stability and cure.