[Clinical features of acute respiratory failure due to pneumocystis pneumonia in non-HIV immunocompromised patients].

Objective

To examine the clinical features of patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) caused by pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) admitted into two medical intensive care units (ICU) in non- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected immunocompromised patients.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted among 92 non-HIV patients with ARF caused by PCP in medical ICU of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and China-Japan Friendship Hospital between Jan 2010 and Dec 2015. Patient characteristics, clinical presentation, laboratory and radiological findings, complications, as well as therapy and mortality were included in the analysis.

Results

All patients were immunocompromised before PCP, among which 69.6% (64/92) patients were suffered from autoimmune disease. The diagnosis of PCP was made by the identification of P. jiroveci organisms with Giemsa or polymerase chain reaction in specimens of bronchoalveolar lavage, sputum or tracheal aspiration. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ was high (19±5) and the partial pressure of oxygen/ fraction of inspiration oxygen(PaO2/FiO2) ratio was low[(139.6±65.4) mmHg]on ICU admission, with all patients diagnosed as acute respiratory failure during ICU stay. Radiologic findings showed bilateral diffused ground glass opacity (94.6%, 87/92). All patients received Compound Sulfamethoxazole (SMZ/TMP) and only 3.3% (3/92) patients were not given conjunctive corticosteroid. 57.6% (53/92) and 21.7% (20/92) patients were coinfected by cytomegalovirus (CMV) and aspergillos. Invasive ventilatory support was required in 90% (81/90) patients. 22% (18/82) patients used non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) on ICU admission but most of them (83.3%, 15/18) failed and switched to invasive positive pressure ventilation (IPPV). Median ICU and hospital length of stay were 11 and 17 days, respectively. The overall hospital mortality rate was 76.1% (70/92).

Conclusions

Among patients with ARF secondary to non-HIV related PCP, autoimmune system diseases are the most common primary diagnosis. The clinical manifestations were severe and coinfections are common, with poor prognosis.