Hospitalization for pneumonia in the Veneto Region (North-East Italy), 2004-2012

Pneumonia is an important cause of illness and death particularly for elderly adults. The goal of the study was estimate the trend of hospitalization of pneumonia in Veneto Region. A retrospective study, using hospital data was conducted between 2004 and 2012 in all hospitals of region (4.81 millions of inhabitants). The reasons of hospitalization for pneumonia were defined by a first-listed discharge diagnosis of pneumonia or by a first-listed discharge diagnosis of meningitidis, septicemia or empyema associated to a pneumonia diagnosis. Annual total age-specific hospitalization rates and trend were calculated and related with vccines coverage. The total cost was calculated. Overall, 110,927 discharges were selected with an annual pneumonia hospitalization rate of 256.3 per 100,000 inhabitants with peaks in children and the elderly people. The pneumonia hospitalization rate does not increase significantly in study period [AAPC: 1.3% (CI 95%: -0.5; 3.1)], in 0-4 age group the rate significantly dropped to 451.8 per 100,000 in 2012 [AAPC: -2.5% (CI 95%: -4.5; -0.5)]. In adults 80+ the trend increases not significantly [AAPC: 1.2% (CI 95%: -0.9; 3.4)]. The overall pneumonia fatality rate was 10.7%. The estimated cost for hospitalized patient was 3,090.59 Euro.This study shows that hospitalization for pneumonia had a considerable impact on the health services, especially in children and in old groups and the availability of a new generation of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines with an enlarged antigenic spectrum and the extended indication in all ages, open new interesting opportunities to improve the control of pneumococcal disease among the entire population.