Being a current smoker was negatively correlated with
radiographic pneumonia when analysed in the multiple
logistic regression model (see Table 1).
CRP levels in relation to CXR outcome are presented
in Figure 1. In this material, comprising only patients
with suspected pneumonia, PPV (positive predictive
value) for CRP450mg/L was 65% and NPV (negative
predictive value) was 81%.
The proportions of the clinical suspicion degrees as
well as outcome of CXR and antibiotic prescribing are
given in Table 2. In two of the patients the report of
suspicion was lacking and had to be collected afterwards.
In both cases the physician was unsure of the
diagnosis.
The degree of suspicion was strongly associated with
elevated CRP levels (Figure 2) as well as the presence of
positive CXR (p50.001) (Figure 3). There was no correlation
between body temperature and the degree of
suspicion. CRP levels510 mg/L were found in 17