Are the Australian guidelines asking too much of the Pneumonia Severity  Index (PSI)?

Kirsty L Buising,* Karin A Thursky,† James F Black,‡ Graham V Brown§

Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3050.

Correspondence: Kirsty.buising@mh.org.au

1. Johnson PDR, Irving LB, Turnidge JD. Community-acquired pneumonia. Med J Aust 2002; 176: 341-347. <eMJA full text>
2. Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. Therapeutic guidelines: antibiotic. Version 12. Melbourne: TGL, 2003.
3. Fine MJ, Auble TE, Yealy DM, et al. A prediction rule to identify low risk patients with community acquired pneumonia. N Engl J Med 1997; 336: 243-250.
4. Angus DC, Marrie TJ, Obrosky DS, et al. Severe community acquired pneumonia, use of intensive care services and evaluation of American and British Thoracic Society Diagnostic criteria. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002; 166: 717-723.
5. British Thoracic Society Standards of Care Committee. BTS guidelines for the management of community acquired pneumonia in adults. Thorax 2001; 56 Suppl 4: IV1-IV64.

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