Survival and Comfort After Treatment of Pneumonia in Advanced Dementia.

The article presents a study which examined the effect of antimicrobial treatment for pneumonia on survival and comfort in patients with advanced dementia. Data were gathered from 323 nursing home residents in 22 facilities in Boston, Massachusetts from 2003 to 2009. Suspected pneumonia episodes which were treated with antimicrobial agents were experienced by residents. It is concluded that prolonged survival resulted from antimicrobial treatment of suspected pneumonia episodes but not with improved comfort in nursing home residents.