Lessons learned from 2 decades of CAP therapy data: ways to improve patient management

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of death from infectious disease in North America, accounting for over 60,000 deaths in the United States in 2005 (1). CAP encompasses a wide range of clinical presentations resulting in variable clinical outcomes. While mild forms lead to mortality in less than 5% and may be safely treated in outpatient settings, more severe forms necessitate intensive care unit (ICU) admission and are associated with mortality rates exceeding 30% (2).