Objective: To describe the clinical and
paraclinical characteristics of community-acquired
pneumonia (CAP) in patients with type 2 diabetes
mellitus treated at Thai Nguyen National Hospital.
Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive
study was conducted on 117 inpatients diagnosed with
CAP and with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus,
admitted from July 2024 to July 2025 at Thai Nguyen
National Hospital. Results: The mean age of
participants was 72.16 ± 12.30 years, with the highest
proportion observed in those aged ≥ 80 years
(57.2%). The male-to-female ratio was approximately
1:1.05. Common symptoms included fever (71.8%),
dyspnea (53.8%), productive cough (65%), dry mouth
with coated tongue (67.5%), and less frequent
manifestations such as altered consciousness (11.1%),
tachypnea (29.9%), and tachycardia (27.3%).
Neutrophilia was present in 76.1% of cases. C-reactive
protein (CRP) levels were mildly to moderately
elevated in 83.8% of patients, while procalcitonin was
markedly or severely elevated in 63.2%. Chest X-rays
revealed diverse lesions, with multi-lobar involvement
being common (right lung 21.4%, left lung 15.4%),
often presenting as both consolidation and interstitial
patterns. According to CURB-65, mild cases accounted
for 46.2%, moderate 41.0%, and severe 12.8%.
Notable biochemical predictors of severity included
glucose >14 mmol/L (27.4%), urea >11 mmol/L
(20.5%), hematocrit <30% (19.7%), and sodium
<130 mmol/L (16.2%). Conclusion: The findings
indicate that type 2 diabetic patients with CAP are
typically elderly, often presenting with atypical clinical
symptoms. However, paraclinical indicators such as
elevated procalcitonin and CRP levels, multi-lobar
involvement, and metabolic disturbances suggest
severe disease progression. This underscores the need
for early diagnosis, close monitoring of inflammatory
markers, and strict glycemic control. Furthermore,
vaccination, early recognition of respiratory symptoms,
and individualized intensive treatment are essential to
reduce complications and mortality.