Materials and Methods
Setting, Patients, and Study Design
The study was conducted between January 2002 and
January 2010 in two hospitals (Cruces University Hospital
and Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital) in the Basque Country
(Spain). We prospectively included all adults admitted for
BPP. Patients were divided into two age groups: younger than 65 and aged 65 and older. For the purpose of the analysis,
patients aged 65 and older were classified as: (i) elderly
patients, aged between 65 and 79 years and (ii) very elderly
patients, aged 80 and older. We excluded patients with neutropenia
or HIV infection and other immunosuppressed
patients including transplant recipients.
A local ethics committee approved the study.