Background: Several scores and biomarkers, i.e., procalcitonin (PCT), were proposed to stratify the mortality risk in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
Aim: Evaluating prognostic accuracy of PCT and Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI) for 1-month mortality risk in older patients with CAP.
Methods: At hospital admission and at discharge, patients were evaluated by a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment to calculate MPI. Serum PCT was measured at admission and 1, 3, and 5 days after hospital admission.
Results: 49 patients were enrolled. The overall 1-month mortality was 44.5 for 100-persons year. Mortality rates were higher with the increasing of MPI. In survived patients, MPI at discharge showed higher predictive accuracy than MPI at admission. Adding PCT levels to admission MPI prognostic accuracy for 1-month mortality significantly increased.
Conclusion: In older patients with CAP, MPI significantly predicted 1 month mortality. PCT levels significantly improved the accuracy of MPI at admission in predicting 1-month mortality.
Keywords: Community-acquired pneumonia; Elderly; Procalcitonin, Multidimensional prognostic index.