The Combination of Normal Vital Signs and Normal Lung Examination Findings Essentially Rules out CAP

Overview:

Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality that primary care physicians must frequently rule in or out in patients presenting with respiratory complaints. A systematic review of current literature showed that normal vital signs and a normal pulmonary exam essentially rules out CAP in the outpatient setting when compared to gold standard of chest x-ray, proving to be a useful tool in the outpatient evaluation of respiratory complaints.

Objectives:

1.  Identify Clinical Decision Rules (CDRs) in practice for diagnosing or excluding pneumonia.
2.  Evaluate how normal vital signs and a normal pulmonary exam essentially RULE out Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) for patients complaining of respiratory symptoms in the outpatient setting.
3.  Compare vital signs and a normal pulmonary exam to the gold standard chest x-ray.

Adrienne Roth, MD
PGY3 Resident
Family & Community Medicine
UT Health San Antonio

Financial Disclosures:

Adrienne Roth, MD and her faculty preceptor Miguel Palacios, MD have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

The Family & Community Medicine Professional Development and Grand Rounds Committee members (Marcy Wiemers, MD, Maria Del Pilar Montañez Villacampa, MD, Christine Song, DO, Nehman Andry, MD, Margaret Finley, Maureen Alvarado, DO, Richel Avery, MD, Inez I. Cruz, PhD, and Nichole Rubio) have no relevant financial relationships to commercial interests to disclose.

The Family & Community Medicine Professional Development and Grand Rounds Committee member Carlos Roberto Jaén, MD has disclosed he receives royalties from General Practice and Family Medicine for being UpToDate Editor-in-Chief.

Credits:

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (1.00 hours), Non-Physician Participation Credit (1.00 hours)

Target Audience:

Specialties – Primary Care; Family Medicine
Faculty, residents, other health care providers and staff from our department; physicians and health care providers from San Antonio and South Texas; and medical students in our third-year clerkship and fourth year rotations.

Accreditation:

The UT Health Long San Antonio School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation:

The Long School of Medicine designates this live activity up to a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses and other healthcare professionals will receive a Certificate of Attendance. For information on applicability and acceptance, please consult your professional licensing board.

For activity related questions, please contact:
Name: Nichole Rubio- FCM Grand Rounds Coordinator
Email: rubion@uthscsa.edu

For CME general questions, please contact
Ph: (210) 567-4445
Email: cme@uthscsa.edu