[Staphylococcal pneumonia--analysis of material from patients treated at the Hospital for Lung Diseases in the years 1981-1994].

Retrospective analysis of staphylococcal pneumonia was made in 182 patients, aged 18-88 years /61% more than 60 years old/ treated in hospital in years 1981-1994. Majority of these patients had various concomitant diseases, mostly chronic bronchitis and lung cancer. Strains of Staphylococcus aureus were sensitive mainly to amoxycillin--clavulanic acid, roxitromycin, amikacin, netilmicin, clindamycin, cefamandol, chloramphenicol, rifampicin and resistant mostly to penicillin /90% of strains/, ampicillin, tetracyclines. In many cases initial antibacterial treatment was inadequate in relation to sensitivity pattern of staphylococci--hence many changes of antibiotics were observed in the course of the therapy. Newer antistaphylococcal drugs were applied only in the last years of the study. Despite these therapeutical drawback outcome of staphylococcal pneumonia was good in 85% of patients; 14% of patients died /mainly as a consequence of comorbidities/. Successful therapy of staphylococcal pneumonia requires early recognition of possibility of infection due to Staphylococcus aureus and adjustment of drugs to probable or actual sensitivity of these pathogens.