Clinical features of pneumonia in extreme old age

Abstract

The clinical features of 70 people over the age of 85 with radiologically positive pneumonia were studied. It was shown that the classical presenting symptoms of pneumonia were often absent and 81 % had one or more acute ’geriatric’ features such as acute confusion, recent onset of falls, recent worsening immobility or recent onset of incontinence, at the time of presentation. An increased risk of mortality was associated with acute confusion, dementia, central cyanosis and long term immobility. Well kept body temperature and respiratory rate charts provide a useful early warning of possible pneumonia in very elderly in patients and the finding of a raised body temperature with a raised respiratory rate should always prompt the need to rule out lower respiratory tract infection.