Low levels of serum cholesterol and albumin and the risk of community-acquired pneumonia in young soldiers.

SETTING

The risk factors of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in high-risk groups have been examined in many studies. Such studies, however, have limited application for young people in special environments.

OBJECTIVE

To study the risk factors of CAP in young soldiers.

DESIGN

A hospital-based case-control study was carried out during the two winters between 2003 and 2005. A total of 255 CAP cases aged 18-23 years were enrolled and were matched by age and date of hospitalisation with 255 controls.

RESULTS

All CAP cases and 148 controls (58.0%) were military trainees. Most cases (96.1%) were non-severe CAP (pneumonia severity index risk class 1). Serum levels of total cholesterol, albumin, total protein and body mass index (BMI) were lower in CAP cases than in controls. In conditional logistic regression analysis, an increased risk of CAP was independently associated with military trainees, low levels of cholesterol and albumin. However, low BMI (<18.5 kg/m(2)) was not found to be associated with the risk of CAP after adjusting for other factors.

CONCLUSION

In Korea, the risk of CAP is significantly high in military trainees, with low levels of cholesterol and albumin being associated with the development of CAP in young soldiers.