lab report for a patient with bacterial pneumonia

by Lysanne Ebert 9 min read

Laboratory abnormalities in patients with bacterial …

14 hours ago Moreover, patients with pneumonia demonstrated lower levels (p < 0.01) of calcium, phosphorus, albumin, cholesterol, and alanine aminotransferase compared with control patients (group 3). Among patients with pneumonia, those with hypophosphatemia (group 1) had significantly … >> Go To The Portal


Laboratory findings such as leukocytosis are helpful for the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia or to assess the status of the patient. Sputum

Sputum

Sputum is mucus and is the name used for the coughed-up material from the lower airways. In medicine, sputum samples are usually used for naked eye exam, microbiological investigations of respiratory infections, and cytological investigations of respiratory systems. It is critical that the patient not give a specimen that includes any mucoid material from the interior of the nose. Naked eye exam of sputum ca…

samples need to be collected from every patient and gram staining and culture need to be performed to determine the exact pathogen causing the pneumonia.

Full Answer

Do laboratory abnormalities predict the severity of bacterial pneumonia?

Study objectives: This study was undertaken to evaluate the laboratory abnormalities observed in patients with bacterial pneumonia as predictors of the severity of illness. Design: Retrospective analysis. Setting: Tertiary care hospital.

What is the best diagnostic test for radiographic pneumonia?

Radiographic pneumonia was diagnosed in 20 patients. CRP and ESR were the most useful tests. CRP greater than 50 mg/l had lower sensitivity and likelihood ratio (LR), 0.50 and 4.8, respectively, compared with previous studies of selected patient populations.

When are blood cultures indicated in the workup of bacterial pneumonia?

Blood cultures should be obtained for patients with severe disease, patients that require hospitalization, and patients in which antibiotic therapy failed. Blood culture may be positive in cases of hematogenous spread, such as S. aureus pneumonia, and in around one fourth of patients with pneumococcal pneumonia.

What is the nursing assessment for pneumonia?

Nursing Assessment. Symptoms of fever, chills, or night sweats in a patient should be reported immediately to the nurse as these can be signs of bacterial pneumonia. Assess clinical manifestations. Respiratory assessment should further identify clinical manifestations such as pleuritic pain, bradycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue,...

What laboratory results would you monitor for pneumonia?

AdvertisementBlood tests. Blood tests are used to confirm an infection and to try to identify the type of organism causing the infection. ... Chest X-ray. This helps your doctor diagnose pneumonia and determine the extent and location of the infection. ... Pulse oximetry. ... Sputum test.

What would a CBC show for pneumonia?

A CBC measures the number of many types of blood cells, including white blood cells (WBC); these cells increase in number when there is a bacterial infection. An increased number of WBCs is one indicator that a bacterial infection, including pneumonia, may be present.

What lab tests are done to reveal bacterial respiratory infections?

A sputum culture test is often involved in diagnosing infections in the respiratory tract. These common infections can be caused by various types of germs, and a sputum culture test can determine if an infection is bacterial or fungal.

What specimens are of value in making a laboratory diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia?

Microscopy and culture of sputum or other lower respiratory tract specimens (eg, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid) and blood cultures have historically been the main diagnostic tools for identifying the microbial etiology of pneumonia.

Will WBC be elevated with pneumonia?

Sneaky Symptoms Case in point: It's typical for patients with pneumonia to have an elevated white blood cell count, but up to 50 percent of people over 65 with pneumonia have a normal white count.

What is WBC count in pneumonia?

for bacterial pneumonia, a WBC count of 10,000 to 14,000/mm3 with a marked left shift is typical. A WBC count >15,000/mm3 strongly suggests a bacterial, particularly a pneumococcal, etiology. A WBC count >20,000/mm3 is associated with a poor prognosis.

Are there Blood tests for pneumonia?

Blood tests can be used to try to determine the cause of pneumonia. Blood culture tests involve using a blood sample to try to grow bacteria in a lab. The test usually takes a few days to see if any bacteria grow, at which point they can be identified and targeted for treatment.

How do you test for lung bacteria?

Tests for Lung InfectionsBlood tests or cultures. ... Oximetry. ... Arterial blood gases. ... Bronchoscopy. ... Transtracheal mucus cultures (rarely done). ... Lung biopsy. ... Thoracentesis. ... Computed tomography (CT) scan.

What bacteria causes pneumonia?

A common cause of bacterial pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). However, clinicians are not always able to find out which germ caused someone to get sick with pneumonia.

What diagnostic test is significant in the determination of a diagnosis of pneumonia?

PCR for specific pathogens–bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most common pathogen associated with CAP, is easily detected by PCR in respiratory specimens. PCR techniques based on amplification of the pneumolysin or autolysin genes are applicable for the diagnosis of pneumonia, otitis media, and meningitis.

Can blood test detect bacterial infection?

A bacteria culture is a test to identify whether you have a bacterial infection. It can be performed on a sample of blood, stool, urine, skin, mucus or spinal fluid. Using this type of test, a healthcare provider can identify what caused an infection and determine the most effective treatment.

How are bacterial infections diagnosed?

Tests that are frequently performed to help us with the diagnosis of a bacterial infection include a complete blood count and cultures of fluid that we are concerned about. This may include a blood culture, urine culture, or spinal culture (which requires a spinal tap).

What tests are used to determine the pathogen causing pneumonia?

Other tests include urine antigen test, PCR, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin .

Why is the urinary antigen test not recommended for pneumonia?

Urinary antigen test is not recommended in the diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia in children due to the high rate of false-positive results.

How long does it take for a sputum culture to be done?

Sputum culture provides diagnostics information in roughly 1 in 5 patients only. Sputum cultures generally take at least two to three days, so they are mainly used to confirm that the infection is sensitive to an antibiotic that has already been started.

What are the findings of a routine blood test?

Findings in routine blood tests are based on the severity of the disease and the cause, they can include the following: Leukocytosis with left shift (in cases of bacterial pneumonia ) Leukopenia (in cases of atypical pneumonia) Eosinophilia ( in cases of eosinophilic pneumonia) Anemia.

How long does it take for a Legionella to be detected?

The presence of the antigen in urine can be detected in 24 hours since the onset of the symptoms.

When should patients with CAP be investigated?

Patients with CAP should be investigated for specific pathogens that would significantly alter standard (empirical) management decisions, when the presence of such pathogens is suspected on the basis of clinical and epidemiologic clues. (Strong recommendation; level II evidence)

Why is blood culture not recommended for CAP?

Blood cultures are not recommended for the outpatient management of CAP due to the low yield of pathogens. A blood sample may similarly be cultured to look for infection in the blood ( blood culture ). Any bacteria identified are then tested to see which antibiotics will be most effective.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed the medical records of 353 consecutive patients admitted to Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY, from January 1, 1993 through December 31, 1993, who had bacterial pneumonia as their discharge diagnosis.

RESULTS

The total medical admissions to the Long Island Jewish Medical Center over a 3-month period included 7,994 patients. Of these, 640 had documented hypophosphatemia at admission or some time during their hospital stay (8%). In the control group of 300 patients, 31 had documented hypophosphatemia (10.3%).

DISCUSSION

The elderly ambulatory patient who comes to the emergency department with fever is very likely to have a serious pneumonia and in most instances will require hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that laboratory abnormalities, especially hypophosphatemia, may be a significant risk factor predicting the severity of the underlying illness in hospitalized patients with bacterial pneumonia.

Figures

FIGURE 1 Duration of hospitalization in patients with hypophosphatemia and pneumonia. Bar graph comparing the duration of hospitalization in pneumonia patients who developed hypophosphatemia (group 1) and those who did not (group 2). Statistical comparison was carried out using Student's compound t test. Results were expressed as mean±SEM.

Tables

Hospital admission blood chemistry results of 302 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia (pneumonia) were compared with the admission blood profile of 300 randomly selected patients admitted for all medical problems (control) other than pneumonia.

What is the management of pneumonia?

Coordination of Care. The management of a pneumonia is multidisciplinary. Besides the administration of antibiotics, these patients often require chest physical therapy, a dietary consult, physical therapy to help regain muscle mass and a dental consult.

What is pneumonia in nursing?

Summarize the nursing diagnosis of pneumonia. Discuss the prevention of bacterial pneumonia. Introduction. The word "pneumonia" originates from the ancient Greek word "pneumon" which means "lung," so the word "penumonia" becomes "lung disease.". Medically it is an inflammation of one or both lung's parenchyma that is more often but not ...

What causes pneumonia in the lung?

The many causes of pneumonia include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. This article is about bacterial causes of pneumonia as it is the major cause of mortality and morbidity by pneumonia.

What are the four categories of pneumonia?

According to the new classification of pneumonia, there are four categories: community-acquired (CAP), hospital-acquired (HAP), healthcare-associated (HCAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

How much mortality does pneumonia carry?

When a pneumonia is left untreated, it carries a mortality in excess of 25%.

What is the name of the disease caused by a bacteria in the lung?

Bacterial Pneumonia (Nursing) - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. The word "pneumonia" originates from the ancient Greek word "pneumon" which means "lung," so the word "penumonia" becomes "lung disease.". Medically it is an inflammation of one or both lung's parenchyma that is more often but not always caused by infections.

What are the complications of pneumonia?

Other reported complications of pneumonia that occur in 1-5% of patients include lung abscess, empyema, and bronchiectasis. [15][16](Level V) Health Teaching and Health Promotion.

What are the signs of pneumonia in nursing?

Here are some tips for your nursing assessment for pneumonia. Assess respiratory symptoms. Symptoms of fever, chills, or night sweats in a patient should be reported immediately to the nurse as these can be signs of bacterial pneumonia.

What is the cause of pneumonia?

Pneumonia arises from normal flora present in patients whose resistance has been altered or from aspiration of flora present in the oropharynx. An inflammatory reaction may occur in the alveoli, producing exudates that interfere with the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

What is the most lethal nosocomial infection?

HAP is the most lethal nosocomial infection and the leading cause of death in patients with such infections. Common microorganisms that are responsible for HAP include Enterobacter species, Escherichia coli, influenza, Klebsiella species, Proteus, Serratia marcescens, S. aureus, and S. pneumonia.

What is the most common form of aspiration pneumonia?

The most common form of aspiration pneumonia is a bacterial infection from aspiration of bacteria that normally reside in the upper airways.

How long does it take for a patient to show signs of HAP?

HAP is also called nosocomial pneumonia and is defined as the onset of pneumonia symptoms more than 48 hours after admission in patients with no evidence of infection at the time of admission.

Why should secretions be removed from pneumonia?

To improve airway patency: Removal of secretions. Secretions should be removed because retained secretions interfere with gas exchange and may slow recovery.

How many people die from pneumonia annually?

Learning statistics on pneumonia could give you an idea about how many has fallen victim to this respiratory disease. Pneumonia and influenza account for nearly 60,000 deaths annually.

What is the best method of diagnosing pneumonia?

According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines, a demonstratable infiltrate by chest x-ray is necessary and is considered the best method (with supportive clinical findings) for the diagnosis of pneumonia.[2] .

What is the pathophysiology of pneumonia?

Pathophysiology. There is an intricate balance between the organisms residing in the lower respiratory tract and the local and systemic defense mechanisms (both innate and acquired) which when disturbed gives rise to inflammation of the lung parenchyma, i.e., pneumonia.

What is a differential diagnosis of pneumonia?

Differential diagnosis of pneumonia includes asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary edema, malignancies, non-infective consolidative processes of the lung, pleuritis, pulmonary embolism, aspiration of a foreign body, bronchiectasis, bronchiolitis, and others just to name a few.

What is pneumonia in Pennsylvania?

Continuing Education Activity. Pneumonia is an umbrella term for a group of syndromes caused by a variety of organisms that result in infection of the lung parenchyma.

What is a resolution in lung?

Resolution: Characterized by clearing of the exudates by resident macrophages with or without residual scar tissue formation. Bronchopneumonia. Bronchopneumonia is characterized by suppurative inflammation localized in patches around bronchi which may or may not be localized to a single lobe of the lung.

Can pneumonia spread to the pleural space?

Also, the infection may spread to the pleural space forming a fibrinopurulent exudate filling this space- known as empyema. History and Physical. Historically, the chief complaints in case of pneumonia include systemic signs like fever with chills, malaise, loss of appetite, and myalgias.

What is the cause of pneumonia?

Pneumonia is caused by a bacterial or viral infection that is spread by droplets or by contact and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

What are the two types of pneumonia?

Types of Pneumonia. There are two types of pneumonia: community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), or hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) or also known as nosocomial pneumonia. Pneumonia may also be classified depending on its location and radiologic appearance.

What happens if you leave pneumonia untreated?

If left untreated, pneumonia could complicate to hypoxemia, respiratory failure, pleural effusion, empyema, lung abscess, and bacteremia. Nursing care plan (NCP) and care management for patients with pneumonia start with an assessment of the patient’ medical history, performing respiratory assessment every four (4) hours, physical examination, ...

Overview

  • Laboratory findings such as leukocytosis are helpful for the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia or to assess the status of the patient. Sputum samples need to be collected from every patient and gram staining and culture need to be performed to determine the exact pathogen causing the pneumonia. Other tests include urine antigen test, PCR, C-reactive...
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Laboratory Tests

  • Routine Tests
    Findings in routine bloodtests are based on the severity of the disease and the cause, they can include the following: 1. Leukocytosiswith left shift (in cases of bacterial pneumonia) 2. Leukopenia(in cases of atypical pneumonia) 3. Eosinophilia (in cases of eosinophilic pneumonia…
  • Sputum Gram Stain and Culture
    1. Sputum samples should be obtained of all patients with productive cough. 2. Gram-stainand culture should be performed to assess the causative agent and guide the therapy. 3. In more than 80% of cases of pneumococcal pneumonia the sputumculture is positive.
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Other Laboratory Tests

  • Urine Antigen Test
    1. Usually used to diagnose Legionelladisease. 2. Useful also in the diagnosis of pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, with a sensitivity of 74.6% and an association with worst clinical outcome. 3. The presence of the antigen in urine can be detected in 24 hours since the o…
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
    1. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is more useful in the diagnosis of viral and mycoplasma pneumonia.
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Community Acquired Pneumonia

  • The infectious diseases society of America/American thoracic society consensus recommendation on diagnostics test for etiology of community-acquired pneumonia in adults are as follows: For Level of evidence and classes click here.
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Hospital Acquired Pneumonia

  • Basic Blood Works
    1. Complete blood count (leucocytosis). In some people with compromised immunity, the white blood cell count may appear deceptively normal. 2. Basic metabolic panel 2.1. Used to evaluate kidney function when prescribing certain antibiotics 2.2. Hyponatremia in pneumonia is thought …
  • Serology
    1. Specific blood serology tests for other bacteria (Mycoplasma, Legionella and Chlamydophila) can be done in conditions with strong suspicion of the causative organisms.
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