Hirshberg et al identified a number of risk factors for mortality in a patient with lung abscess. This can help to identify a patient who may benefit from more aggressive management. The authors are from Hadassah University Hospital, Hebrew University, and Rabin Medical Center in Israel.
Patient selection: lung abscess
Risk factors for mortality:
(1) large abscess size
(2) location of abscess in right lower lobe
(3) multiple (3 or more) comorbid factors (pulmonary and extrapulmonary)
(4) pathogen (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae)
Comorbid factors:
(1) COPD
(2) pneumonia
(3) lung cancer
(4) asthma
(5) bronchiectasis
(6) lung or kidney transplant
(7) altered consciousness
(8) debilitated status or protein malnutrition (low serum albumin concentration)
(9) immunocompromised status
(10) periodontal disease
(11) hematologic malignancy
(12) autoimmune disorder (inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis)
