Investigating Pneumonia Flashcards
What should every patient with suspected penumonia have ?
CXR, Blood tests and microbiology tests
what would a CXR for a patient with Strep.pneumoniae look like?
consolidation with air bronchograms, effusions and collapse due to retention of secretions
what would a CXR for a patient with Mycoplasma look like?
usually one lobe is involved but infection can be bilateral and extensive
what would a CXR for a patient with Legionella look like?
- There is lobar and then multi-lobar shadowing, with the occasional small pleural effusion
- cavitation is rare
Why are blood cultures done?
you want to know if the pneumonia has become bacteraemic
why is it bad if it is bacteraemic?
- there is a much higher mortality
- you are much more likely o give antibiotics
What other tests are done?
- serology
- ABG: necessary if sats are below 94%
- full blood count
- urea
- HIV test
- liver function test
what are you looking for in blood count and differential?
to track white cell: if its very low or very high that is bad
- low: means all of them have been used up
- high: lots of neutrophils are needed
why is urea tested?
you need to know renal function
why are HIV tests done?
since pneumonia is a common initial presenting illness in patients with an undiagnosed HIV infection
why is liver function tested?
you need to know if they have legionella or not - by looking at elevated creatine kinase
