Fatty acid-binding proteins as diagnostic and prognostic markers in pneumonia

Pneumonia remains a potentially life threatening infection. The incidence of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) differs by region, season and the characteristics of the population under evaluation. A recent review on CAP among adults in Europe found the incidence ranged from 1.54 to 1.70 per 1,000 population, rising to as high as 14.0 cases per 1,000 person-years in those aged 65 years and over (1). Mortality for patients hospitalised with CAP ranges from 5.1–36.5%. The mortality is particularly high in critically ill patients with pneumonia who require admission to intensive care units (ICUs) and reported figure is as high as 57.3% (2).