Improved Outcomes in Patients Hospitalised with Community Associated Pneumonia: Can Established Warfarin Therapy Play a Role?

Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) remains a common and serious infection in all developed countries. CAP remains associated with significant mortality. It has been suggested that adjunctive therapy, given in combination with antimicrobials, may improve CAP treatment outcomes. This observational study sought to identify factors associated with improved short-term outcome in adult patients hospitalised with radiologically-confirmed CAP in Malta. The influence of established warfarin treatment on outcome in this cohort of patients was also assessed. We retrospectively studied patients with radiologically diagnosed CAP requiring admission to the only tertiary care hospital in Malta over between 2011 and 2013. Ethical clearance was obtained. The radiological diagnosis was validated by the investigators using the hospital Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) system. Eligible patients needed to be at least 16 years old.