The yield of sputum culture in bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia after initiation of antibiotics

摘要

To the Editor-The sputum Gram stain and culture are crucial components of the diagnostic workup in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Prior studies have demonstrated a reduced yield of sputum studies when antibiotics are initiated prior to obtaining a sputum specimen [1-4], but we are aware of only a single study that relates this yield of sputum studies to the time after initiation of antibiotic therapy [3]. In that study, however, the number of patients was insufficient to determine the time at which the yield of sputum studies began to decline after antibiotics had been started.