Radiographic resolution of community-acquired XXXX in the elderly.

@entity1 @entity2028 @entity2259 @entity55
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the radiographic clearance of proven community-acquired nontuberculous @entity2028 in nonimmunocompromised older @entity1 to provide working estimates of the rate of radiographic resolution as a function of the @entity1 cumulative comorbidities, extent of initial radiographic involvement, functional status, and causative pathogens. DESIGN: A prospective study. @entity1 : Seventy-four @entity1 aged 70 and older, consecutively admitted to a hospital for community-acquired @entity2028 . SETTING: A university-affiliated teaching hospital. MEASUREMENTS: Chest radiographs were performed every 3 weeks from the date of admission for a total period of 12 weeks or until all radiographic abnormalities had resolved or returned to baseline. RESULTS: Sixty-four @entity1 (86%) completed the study. The rate of radiographic clearance was estimated at 35.1% within 3 weeks, 60.2% within 6 weeks, and 84.2% within 12 weeks. Radiographic resolution was significantly slower for those with high comorbidity index, @entity2259 , multilobar involvement, and enteric gram-negative bacilli @entity55 . Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that the comorbidity index (relative risk for clearance=0.67 per class index, P<.001) and multilobar disease (relative risk for clearance=0.24 for more than one lobe, P<.001) had independent predictive value (Cox proportional hazards regression model) on the rate of resolution. CONCLUSION: The radiographic resolution of nontuberculous @entity2028 in the elderly should take into account the extent of lobar disease and the burden of underlying illnesses. A waiting period of 12 to 14 weeks is recommended for slowly resolving @entity55 to be considered nonresolving.
