The predictive value of three scales on ventilatory pattern choice in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia

Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of three scales, including SMAT-COP, CURB-65 and the minor criteria for severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) proposed by IDSA/ATS, on the ventilatory pattern choice in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia.

Methods: The scores of the three scales were calculated in 98 patients with severe CAP with the admission data, and compared between the non-invasive ventilation group and invasive ventilation group.

Results: There were significant differences in SMAT-COP, CURB-65 and IDSA/ATS minor criteria between non-invasive ventilation group and invasive ventilation group (P < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve indicated that SMAT-COP had better predictive values than CURB-65 and IDSA/ATS minor criteria (P < 0.05). But there was no significant difference between CURB-65 and IDSA/ATS minor criteria (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: The three scales all have predictive values on ventilatory pattern choice in patients with severe CAP. SMART-COP has better predictive values than the other two.