Abstract
Aim.
To determine the clinical features of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Materials and methods.
A single-center, consecutive, retrospective study was conducted involving 52 HIV-negative patients diagnosed with K. pneumoniae–associated CAP. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to construct dendrograms.
Results.
Two age peaks of pneumonia incidence were identified: 30–39 years (23.1 %) and 50–59 years (21.2 %). Most patients were urban residents (80.8 %), and acute disease onset was documented in 84.6 % of cases. Systemic intoxication symptoms included fever (88.5 %), weakness (92.3 %), excessive sweating (28.8 %), reduced appetite (15.4 %), headache (9.6 %), and chills, weight loss, or dizziness (each in 7.7 % of patients). Respiratory symptoms: productive cough (100 %); difficult-to-expectorate sputum in 78.8 % (more common in women, ratio 1.3:1); dyspnea in 69.2 % (predominantly in men, ratio 1.4:1); chest pain (23.1 %); purulent sputum (19.2 %); hemoptysis (3.8 %). Auscultatory and percussory findings: harsh breath sounds in 78.8 % (more frequent in men, ratio 1.5:1); diminished breath sounds over the affected area (71.2 %); dullness to percussion over the lesion (61.5 %); dry crackles in 57.7 % (predominantly in men, ratio 1.5:1); moist crackles (23.1 %); vesicular (normal) breath sounds in 19.2 % (significantly more common in women, ratio 12:1).
Conclusion.
Current clinical presentation of K. pneumoniae–associated CAP is characterized by prominent systemic intoxication (weakness in 92.3 %, fever in 88.5 %) and universal presence of productive cough (100 %). Although respiratory insufficiency was diagnosed in 65.4 % of patients, the majority were in satisfactory general condition upon hospitalization, indicating a favorable prognosis. Significant gender-related differences were observed: men had significantly higher rates of dyspnea (p = 0.039), harsh breath sounds (p = 0.002), and dry crackles (p = 0.032). Women more commonly exhibited difficult sputum expectoration (p = 0.025) and preserved vesicular breath sounds (p < 0.001). These clinical and anamnestic distinctions may be used to refine diagnostic algorithms.