Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) as
defined by the presence of new infiltrate(s) including manifestation of consolidation,
patchy, diffuse or interstitial inflammation on chest X-ray with or without pleural
effusion plus at least 1 of the following: new cough and expectoration or progression
of respiratory symptoms with purulent sputum with or without chest pain; fever;
auscultatory findings such as rales or evidence of pulmonary consolidation; blood
leukocyte count >10×109/L or 15% bands or a blood leukocyte
count between 4 and 10 with neutropils greater than or equal to 75%
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients with hospital acquired pneumonia, aspiration pneumonia, severe pneumonia,
history of post-obstructive pneumonia, active tuberculosis or bronchitis,
bronchiectasis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease without evidence of acute
infection were not eligible for this study
- Patients treated with any systemic antibiotic within 72 hours prior to study entry
were not eligible unless the medication was, in the opinion of the investigators,
classified as having failed