Comparison of community acquired pneumonias which require admission to intensive care unit depending on etiology: Legionella vs pneumococcus

Objective: To describe the differences between pneumococcal bacteriemic pneumonias (PBP) and Legionella pneumonias (LP) which needed admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Methods: A cross sectional study was performed from 1/1/2000 to 1/10/2010. We analized patients with diagnosis of PBP and LP. All patients were admitted in the ICU of our Hospital. We analized clinical, analytical and prognosis differences depending on etiologic agents: Pneumococcus (positive blood culture) and Legionella (positive urine antigen). Immunodeficent patients and health care patients were excluded. Results: We included 115 patients: 63 (55%) PBP and 52 (45%) LP. View this table: Conclusions: 1. Both groups had a similar age. Patients with LP were more smokers and suffered less pleural pain. 2. Patients with LP had more hiponatremia and received previous antibiotic treatment on higher rates. 3. At admission NBP had greater severity indexes with more favourable evolution. 4. Mortality was similar in both groups.