Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients

Age (years ± SD)

58.7 (± 18.1)

75.4 (± 9.8)

57,5 (± 17.9)

< 0.001

69.5 (± 13.4)

57.7 (± 18.1)

< 0.001

Male sex N (%)

558 (56.7)

46 (71.8)

512 (55.7)

0.011

59 (69)

499 (56)

0.013

Smoker N (%)

309 (31.4)

15 (23.4)

294 (32.0)

0.15

28 (32.9)

281 (31.3)

0.75

Prior antibiotics N (%)

276 (28.0)

12 (18.8)

264 (28.7)

0.09

15 (17.6)

261 (29.0)

0.026

Nursing home N (%)

28 (2.8)

7 (10.9)

21 (2.3)

< 0.001

10 (11.8)

18 (2.0)

< 0.001

Pathogen established N(%)

195 (19,8)

13 (20,3)

182 (19,8)

0.92

23 (27,1)

172 (19,1)

0.08

Comorbidities N (%)

Congestive heart failure

150 (15.2)

29 (45.3)

121 (13.2)

< 0.001

31 (36.5)

119 (13.3)

< 0.001

Chronic respiratory disease

360 (36.6)

27 (42.9)

333 (36.4)

0.30

41 (48.8)

319 (35.6)

0.017

Chronic renal disease

71 (7.2)

17 (27.0)

54 (5.9)

< 0.001

14 (16.7)

57 (6.4)

< 0.001

Chronic liver disease

33 (3.4)

2 (3.1)

31 (3.4)

0.91

0 (0)

33 (3.7)

0.07

Cerebrovascular disease

60 (6.1)

11 (17.2)

49 (5.3)

< 0.001

11 (12.9)

49 (5.5)

0.006

Malignancy

88 (8.9)

16 (25.0)

72 (7.9)

< 0.001

13 (15.3)

75 (8.4)

0.034

Diabetes mellitus

164 (16.7)

20 (31.3)

144 (15.7)

0.001

27 (31.8)

137 (15.2)

< 0.001

CRB-65 N (%)

< 0.001

< 0.001

0

417 (42.4)

3 (4.7)

414 (45.0)

9 (10.6)

408 (45.4)

1

415 (42.2)

32 (50)

383 (41.6)

31 (36.5)

384 (42.7)

2

132 (13.4)

24 (37.5)

108 (11.7)

34 (40.0)

98 (10.9)

3

19 (1.9)

4 (6.3)

15 (1.6)

10 (11.8)

9 (1)

4

1 (0.1)

1 (1.6)

0 (0)

1 (1.2)

0 (0)

Biomarker (median, IQR^d)

Cortisol (nmol/L)

621 (419-866)

870 (624-1359)

602 (407-843)

< 0.001

972 (626-1520)

598 (406-837)

< 0.001

WBC^e (10⁹/mL)

10.7 (8.0-14.5)

13.2 (9.4-16.8)

10.6 (8.0-14.3)

0.003

13.6 (10.2-17.1)

10.5 (7.9-14.3)

< 0.001

CRP^f (mg/L)

71.9 (18.8-167)

121.3 (55-230)

67.9 (18-163)

< 0.001

141 (73-246)

66 (17-158)

< 0.001