Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of sepsis in adult critical care. We present a retrospective study of patients admitted to a polyvalent intensive care unit with CAP from 1st June 2004 - 31st December 2006. We analysed 76 patients with a mean age of 62.88 (18.75) years. Mean APACHE II score was 24.88 (9.75). Mean SAPS II was 51.18 (18.05), with a predicted mortality of 47.27%. Aetiology was identified in 42.1% of the patients. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most frequent aetiological agent, but the group of aetiological agents more frequently identified was Gram-negative enteric bacilli. Levofloxacine was the most frequently previously used antibio tic. The most frequently used antibiotherapy scheme was the association ceftriaxone - azithromicine. It was possible to evaluate suitability of treatment in 32 patients; 27 were on suitable antibiotherapy regimes. 66 patients (86.8%) were on respirators, with a median length of 4 days. The median length of stay was 5.3 days. ICU mortality was 36.8% and hospital mortality 55.26%. SAPS II, CRP (C-reactive protein), potassium and initial unsuitable antibiotherapy were related to mortality. After multivariate analysis, only SAPS II maintained statistical significance. Use of antibiotics should be judicious, taking the most frequent agents and their susceptibility into consideration.

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