Risk factors, microbiological data, and cost ofstroke-associated pneumonia: a retrospectivestudy of 331 Chinese patients

摘要

We try to confirm some controversial issues of stroke-associated pneumonia(SAP) at the Neurological Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in China. A retrospectivestudy method was used to investigate and observe the clinical characteristics of331 consecutive patients with acute stroke in the NICU in China. We foundthat age >70 years, diabetes, consciousness disorders, dysphagia, andhypoalbuminemia are the independent risk factors for SAP in acute strokepatients. Of the 18 species of bacteria and 3 species of fungi analyzed in ourstudy, Acinetobacter baumannii (25.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.7%), andCandida albicans (12.7%) were the most commonly identified organisms. Themean cost of hospitalization ($6,080 vs. $2,555, P < 0.001) and crude mortality(40.9% vs. 26.3%, P = 0.003) were higher in patients with pneumonia comparedwith patients who did not develop pneumonia. The problem of SAP is a hugeburden; therefore, effective early prevention is particularly important.