Abstract
Respiratory tract infection is a leading cause of mortality and hospitalization in nursing home residents. As a result, interest has increased in the epidemiology of these infections. However, several issues remain to be systematically evaluated due to the lack of clinical trials. Few studies have compared different antibiotic treatment strategies and outcomes. Nursing home residents with pneumonia are frequently hospitalized and these transfers are associated with the multiple hazards of hospitalization as well as with economic costs. Several predictive models have been developed to help clinicians identify residents at low and high risk of mortality. This present article analyzes the relevant literature and attempts to provide information of help in dayto-day decision-making in nursing homes.