LYMPHOPENIA IS A PREDICTOR OF INCREASING MORTALITY IN COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA.
Main Article Content
Keywords
community-acquired pneumonia, lymphopenia, prognostic marker, immune response, clinical outcomes.
Abstract
Purpose: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) predominantly affects the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, posing a significant global health threat.
Place of Study: Department of pulmonology of Jinnah post graduate medical center Karachi, from 05-January 2023 to 05-January 2024.
Methods and Materials: The study included adults participating in the ELDER-BIOME trial or those aged 18 and above, presenting with symptoms suggestive of acute respiratory tract infection. Exclusion criteria involved aspiration pneumonia, recent hospitalization, long-term care residency, and conditions affecting lymphocyte counts. Clinical variables and primary outcomes, including disease severity scores and time to clinical stability, were recorded. Blood samples were analyzed for lymphocyte counts and other biomarkers.
Results: Out of 150 patients, 70 were excluded due to unavailable lymphocyte counts. Among the remaining 80 patients, 40 were categorized as having lymphopenic CAP (L-CAP). L-CAP patients were older (median age 77 years) and had lower body mass index (BMI) (median 24) compared to other CAP patients. L-CAP patients exhibited higher disease severity scores (PSI and MEWS), longer time to clinical stability (median 5 days), and significantly lower counts of leukocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and platelets.
Conclusion: Lymphopenia in CAP patients is associated with increased illness severity, prolonged time to clinical recovery, and compromised immune capacity. These findings suggest that lymphopenia may serve as a valuable prognostic marker for identifying high-risk CAP patients, warranting closer monitoring and aggressive management. Further multicenter studies are needed to confirm these results and incorporate lymphopenia into clinical scoring systems.
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Muhammad Adnan
Post Graduate Trainee Jinnah post graduate medical center Karachi
Saifullah
Senior Registrar Jinnah post graduate medical center Karachi
Afsheen Saba
Registrar Sohail trust hospital
Sajjad Ali
Post Graduate Trainee Jinnah post graduate medical center Karachi
Ghazala
Post Graduate Trainee Isra Hospital Hyderabad
Nisar Fatima
Post Graduate Trainee Jinnah post graduate medical center Karachi