Abstract

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major cause of mortality and disability at all ages. The time of clinical response to treatment is important. With considering that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is common in Kerman province - Iran, we decided to specify factors that may alter patient's responsiveness to proper treatments. This cross-sectional study was performed during 2009 and 2011 in Internal and Infectious wards of Afzalipour hospital, Kerman, Iran. 91 patients (49 male and 42 female) who had score 2 of CURB- 65 with CAP diagnosis were involved the study. Based on fever off day in patients took place during the first 48 hrs of treatment or after 48 hrs, patients were categorized in two groups and all of the parameters were compared in each group. Independent T test, Mann-Whitney and Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used to analyze the data. Totally 35.2 of patients were smokers, 44 were opium addicted, 60.4 of them had cough and 51.6 had fever, 56 had lung crackles on auscultation. 57.2 had abnormal WBC. 78. 1 of cases who were smokers had cough and 68.8 had COPD. In the present study overall, the average duration of becoming fever off, crackle cutting and coughing interruption was 1±0. 2, 5.5±0.2 and 4.5±0.3 days respectively. Also WBC normalization took 3.8±0.2 days. The only factor with significant difference between 2 groups was the average time to relive crackles in opium addicted and non-addicted patients. © IDOSI Publications, 2013.