Table 1 Characteristics of patients with or without risk factors for aspiration

Age, years, mean±SD

76.6 (9.5)

64.5 (19.4)

<0.001

Gender, male; n (%)

58 (69.9)

48 (51.1)

0.011

HCAP; n (%)

59 (71.1)

35 (37.2)

<0.001

 Hospitalization for >2 days in the preceding 90 days

34 (41.0)

27 (28.7)

0.087

 Residence in a nursing home or extended care facility

29 (34.9)

5 (5.3)

<0.001

 Home infusion therapy (including antibiotics)

10 (12.0)

8 (8.5)

0.437

 Chronic dialysis during the preceding 30 days

0 (0.0)

1 (1.1)

0.346

 Home wound care

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

BMI, mean±SD^a

19.6 (4.8)

20.7 (4.5)

0.038

ECOG PS, median (IQR)

2 (0.5–3.5)

1 (0.5–1.5)

<0.001

 0–1; n (%)

28 (33.7)

73 (77.7)

<0.001

 2; n (%)

22 (26.5)

12 (12.8)

 3–4; n (%)

33 (39.8)

9 (9.6)

<0.001

Smoking; n, (%)^b

 Smoker

7 (10.0)

9 (10.7)

 Ex-smoker

30 (42.9)

30 (35.7)

 Non smoker

33 (47.1)

45 (53.6)

B.I^c

493.7 (606.1)

449.4 (641.7)

0.454

Comorbidity; n, (%)

Chronic respiratory disease

22 (26.5)

38 (40.4)

0.051

 COPD

11 (13.3)

23 (24.5)

0.059

 Bronchiectasis

6 (7.2)

12 (12.8)

0.224

 Lung cancer

7 (8.4)

3 (3.2)

0.132

 Interstitial pneumonia

6 (7.2)

9 (9.6)

0.576

 Cerebrovascular disease

30 (36.1)

0 (0.0)

–

 Neuromuscular diseases

19 (22.9)

0 (0.0)

–

 Dementia

26 (31.3)

0 (0.0)

–

 Pharyngeal disorder

7 (8.4)

0 (0.0)

–

 Gastroesophageal disorder

27 (32.5)

0 (0.0)

–

 Diabetes mellitus

11 (13.3)

22 (23.4)

0.084

 Malignancy excluding lung cancer

26 (31.3)

18 (19.1)

0.060

 Congestive heart failure

8 (9.6)

8 (8.5)

0.794

 Chronic kidney disease

2 (2.4)

5 (5.3)

0.450

 Chronic liver disease

6 (7.2)

2 (2.1)

0.103

 RA or Sjogren’s syndrome

0 (0.0)

9 (9.6)

0.004

 Collagen disease

5 (6.0)

7 (7.4)

0.707

 Psychiatric disease

2 (2.4)

4 (4.3)

0.686

Medications; n (%)

 Sleeping medications

17 (20.5)

10 (10.6)

0.07

 Glucocorticoids (PSL>5 mg/day)

11 (13.3)

7 (7.4)

0.202

 Immunosuppressive agent

3 (3.6)

8 (9.5)

0.178

 Antipsychotic drugs

7 (8.4)

1 (1.1)

0.027

 Antidepressant

3 (3.6)

6 (6.4)

0.504

History of pneumonia within the previous 1 year; n (%)

24 (28.9)

15 (16.0)

0.038

Respiratory failure; n, (%)

31 (37.3)

30 (31.9)

0.448

Clinical parameters; n, (%)

 Orientation disturbance (confusion)

21 (25.3)

8 (8.5)

0.003

 Systolic BP<90 mmHg or diastolic BP<60 mmHg

5 (6.0)

2 (2.1)

0.255

 Body temperature<35 °C or >40 °C

4 (4.8)

1 (1.1)

0.188

 Pulse rate>125 beats/min

5 (6.0)

10 (10.6)

0.271

Laboratory findings

 BUN>10.7 mmol/L

28 (33.7)

24 (25.5)

0.232

 Glucose>13.9 mmol/L

3 (3.6)

7 (7.4)

0.339

 Hematocrit<30 %

16 (19.3)

6 (6.4)

0.010

 Albumin, g/dl mean ± SD^d

3.05 (0.61)

3.29 (0.57)

0.011

Radiographic findings; n, (%)^e

 Bilateral lung involvement

54 (65.1)

50 (53.8)

0.128

 Upper lobe dominant opacity

14 (16.9)

20 (21.5)

0.437

 Lower lobe opacity

54 (65.1)

52 (55.9)

0.216

 anterior dominant opacity

8 (9.6)

14 (15.1)

0.278

 posterior dominant opacity

67 (80.7)

58 (62.4)

0.007

 Gravity-dependent opacity

67 (80.7)

67 (72.0)

0.178

 Thickening of bronchovascular bundles

37 (44.6)

50 (53.8)

0.224

 Pleural effusion

12 (14.5)

19 (20.3)

0.299

PSI score; mean±SD

112.0 (40.3)

81.0 (46.3)

<0.001

 I-III

25 (30.1)

57 (60.6)

 VI-V

53 (69.9)

37 (39.4)

<0.001

In hospital mortality

6 (7.2)

6 (6.4)

0.823