Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant cause of morbidity-mortality: leading agent of community-acquired pneumonia and the first cause of death due to infectious diseases in France. Vaccines are available for children and adults, avoiding serious complications. We studied hospitalizations for pneumococcal pneumonia in Centre region in 2004-2008, using the 2004-2008 national hospital discharges database and assessed vaccine coverage of a sample population.
Methods: Hospital discharges with diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia were selected, using the corresponding code (J13) in the French Diagnosis-Related Group coding system. We analysed hospitalization and patient data using linkage of the inpatient stays with their anonymous identification number. We analysed hospitalization and patient data: number and length of stay/patient, co-morbid factors and pneumococcal immunisation status.
Results: One thousand five hundred and forty-one hospitalisations were found for pneumococcal pneumonia in Centre Region, in 2004-2008. The time pattern showed an annual increase in hospital stays: winter hospitalisations were most frequent. The median age was 58 years, range: 2 months-106 years. The sex ratio M/F of the 1417 distinct inpatients was 1.43. The hospital impact was substantial, with prolonged length of stay (mean=9.9 days), frequent stays in intensive care unit (20%) and high death rate (6%). The vaccine coverage of the population with pneumococcal pneumonia was only 23%.
Conclusion: Using the national hospital discharges database, this study presents a snapshot of pneumococcal pneumonia in one French region and demonstrates the local major clinical impact, as found in France. It shows that the hospital discharge database is a potential tool for epidemiology despite its possible bias. This type of study could be useful for organizing a regional vaccination campaing due to the better knowledge of the disease.
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