Abstract
According to foreign epidemiological studies, the incidence VP in adults (≥ 18 years old) varies over a wide range: in young and middle-aged people age it is 1-11.6‰; in older age groups - 25-44‰. In the USA, 5-6 million cases of community-acquired pneumonia are registered annually, of which >1.5 million people need in hospitalization. In the structure of mortality from respiratory diseases in the Russian Federation in 2017, the share pneumonia accounted for 42%; mortality in 2017 was 17.3 per 100 thousand population. The likelihood of an unfavorable outcome with community-acquired pneumonia depends on many factors - patient's age, severity, concomitant diseases. Mortality is lowest (1-3%) in community-acquired pneumonia. On the contrary, in elderly and senile patients, with the presence of serious concomitant pathology (COPD, malignant neoplasm’s, alcoholism, diabetes, congestive heart failure, etc.). Pneumonia is a disease that has an acute course and is characterized by infectious and inflammatory damage to the lungs. In this case, all structural elements of the lung tissue (alveoli, interstitial tissue of the lungs) are involved in the process. Pneumonia is one of the most common respiratory diseases. Research shows that out of 100,000 people, about 400 people suffer from it. [1, p. 8]. Clinical symptoms and signs of pneumonia vary widely due to such factors as different volume and localization of the lesion, type of pathogen, the severity of the macroorganism’s “response” to infection. Diagnostic studies for community-acquired pneumonia are aimed at verifying the diagnosis, identification of the pathogen, assessment of the severity and prognosis of the disease, identification complications. To diagnose pneumonia, they are based on identifying elementary and at the same time informative indicators, which are called the “gold standard”. In addition to external examination, laboratory tests are needed to establish an accurate diagnosis. Tests include general and biochemical analysis of blood, urine and sputum culture for pneumonia. The most significant type of research is considered to be a general blood test.[2, p. 56]. In some cases, with such inflammation, blood tests are within normal limits, such indicators indicate a weakened immune system. The second important indicator of blood condition, indicating the presence of inflammatory pathology in the lungs, is ESR. Elderly patients are considered to be 20-30 as the maximum acceptable number. ESR exceeds normal values. ESR reflects the intensity of inflammatory processes, including pneumonia. With pneumonia, ESR exceeds 30 mm/h. [3, p. 201].