FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA IN OLDER ADULTS ATTENDING A GERIATRIC CENTER: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults. Objective: To determine the factors associated with a history of community-acquired pneumonia in older adults treated at the Geriatrics Service of the Centro Médico Naval del Perú. Methods: An observational, analytical, crosssectional study was conducted based on a secondary analysis of a previously established database from the Geriatrics Service of the Centro Médico Naval del Perú. Data from 1,896 outpatients aged 60 years or older were analyzed. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were evaluated. Bivariate analysis was performed using the chi-square test, and multivariable analysis was conducted using Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% condence intervals (95% CI). Results: A total of 1,896 older adults were included, and the prevalence of pneumonia was 15.6%. In the multivariable analysis, a history of chronic kidney disease (aPR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.08–1.69), polypharmacy (aPR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.08–1.69), cognitive impairment assessed by MoCA (aPR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.28–2.06), and a history of cerebrovascular disease (aPR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.26–2.28) were independently associated with pneumonia. Conclusions: In older adults attending a geriatric center, a history of community-acquired pneumonia was independently associated with chronic kidney disease, polypharmacy, cognitive impairment assessed by MoCA, and a history of cerebrovascular disease.