Community-Acquired Pneumonia for the Hospitalist: Updates and Controversies

Abstract

The American Thoracic Society (ATS)/Infectious Disease Society of American (IDSA) guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) were released in 2019. While most categories had minor updates, one major change was abandonment of the term “healthcare-associated pneumonia” (HCAP). The guidelines also recommended against use of procalcitonin for the decision to initiate antibiotics; recommended against use of corticosteroids in all cases but pneumonia with septic shock; and recommended obtaining blood and sputum cultures in patients with pneumonia at risk for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This review will cover studies published since the 2019 guidelines that help answer unaddressed questions and/or add clarity to areas of uncertainty.