الفهرس 
Definition, Epidemiology and RiskOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Introduction: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common serious infection encountered in medical practice, with 1% to 10% of patients requiring admission to a hospital. The mortality rate of patients admitted is considerable, ranging from 5% to 25%.
Motivated by the results of the British Thoracic Society (BTS) study different investigators have identified several risk factors associated with a high mortality rate. The assessment of the severity of CAP can be determined at three stages: (1) At home or during the general practitioner’s (GP) consultation; (2) in the hospital outpatient clinic or emergency room; and (3) in the medical ward and/or intensive care unit (ICU).
Aims: The aim of this work is to review the available models for assessing the severity of community acquired pneumonia and their clinical value in regular intensive care practice.
Summary: Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus, causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty in breathing. Pneumonia can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. It is most serious for infants and young children, people older than age 65, and people with health problems or weakened immune systems.
Conclusion: Biomarkers can help differentiate patients with pneumonia from heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation, with the latter not requiring antibiotics. Another advantage of biomarkers is that serial measurements can be used to assess the treatment response.
No matter how accurate, simple and sensitive the score is, it shouldn’t substitute medical evaluation and clinical reasoning. Ideally the best strategic approach for CAP is SMART-DOCTORS.