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Diagnostic lavage and occult pulmonary hemorrhage in thrombocytopenic immunocompromised patients.

Twenty consecutive thrombocytopenic immunocompromised patients with pulmonary infiltrates underwent diagnostic bronchopulmonary lavage. Nine patients were found to have occult pulmonary hemorrhage as evidenced by increased stainable hemosiderin within alveolar macrophages. Other diagnoses established included Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in 2 patients and metastatic carcinoma in 1. No hemorrhage was precipitated by the procedure, even in 7 patients whose platelet counts were less than or equal to 20,000 per mm3. We concluded that bronchopulmonary lavage is a safe and effective diagnostic procedure in thrombocytopenic immunocompromised patients and that occult pulmonary hemorrhage is a common cause of diffuse pulmonary infiltrates in such patients.

Adolescent↗

Complementation of a capsule deficient Cryptococcus neoformans with CAP64 restores virulence in a murine lung infection.

Cryptococcosis is a systemic infection in humans caused by the opportunistic fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans. The infection usually presents as chronic meningoencephalitis, but infects via the respiratory tract. A polysaccharide capsule is a major virulence factor, which allows the yeast to resist host defenses. However, the essential role of the capsule in allowing it to resist host defenses during the initial lung infection has not been clearly shown. A mutant acapsular C. neoformans strain 602 was complemented with the CAP64 gene to obtain an encapsulated strain, TYCC38-602. TYCC38-602 persisted in the lungs of C.B-17 mice after intratracheal inoculation and disseminated to the brain, whereas the mutant acapsular 602 and the plasmid control transformant CIP3-602 strains grew less readily in the lung and were infrequently detected in the brain. T cell-mediated immunity, developed to the encapsulated organism, was required to control growth within the lungs and had a significant impact on numbers of yeasts detected in the brain. The parent acapsular strain, but not the transformant control, also required T cells for optimal inhibition of growth within the lung, but not for maintaining control of the colony-forming units (cfu) in the brain. In summary, the cryptococcal capsule plays an important role in lung virulence and dissemination to the brain, and intact immunity is required to control lung growth of the encapsulated yeast.

Animals↗

Three cases of bronchial stump aspergillosis: unusual clinical presentations and beneficial effect of oral itraconazole.

Bronchial stump aspergillosis (BSA), i.e. Aspergillus infection of bronchial granulation tissue surrounding endobronchial suture threads, is a very rare variant of localized suppurative bronchial Aspergillus infection. The majority of reported cases have occurred within one year after lung surgery. We present three more patients, in whom BSA occurred very late (4.5, 6 and 7 yrs) after pulmonary resection. Other unusual features were: complete absence of symptoms in one patient, and simultaneous occurrence of aspergilloma in another. Removal of the endobronchial suture probably constitutes the key therapy for BSA. In all three of our patients oral itraconazole resulted in clinical, histological and microbiological improvement. In conclusion, BSA should be considered in the differential diagnosis of haemoptysis occurring up to 7 yrs after lung surgery, although an asymptomatic presentation is possible. Furthermore, BSA can be associated with other clinical presentations of Aspergillus infection, e.g. aspergilloma. Finally, long-term oral itraconazole therapy may represent a valid alternative when removal of the suture is not feasible.

Administration, Oral↗

Growing PET positive nodule in a patient with histoplasmosis: case report.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary histoplasmosis is a mycotic infection that often resembles pulmonary malignancy and continues to complicate the evaluation of pulmonary nodules. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of an immunocompetent patient who, despite adequate treatment for known histoplasmosis lung infection, presented with radiological and F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) findings mimicking primary lung malignancy which eventually required surgical resection. CONCLUSION: Histoplasmosis infection may radiologically resemble pulmonary malignancy, often causing a diagnostic dilemma. PET imaging is currently used for and considered accurate in the evaluation of pulmonary nodules. However, overlap in PET standardized uptake value (SUV) between granulomatous and malignant lesions decreases the accuracy of PET as a diagnostic modality. Future advances in PET imaging are needed to improve its accuracy in the evaluation of pulmonary nodules in areas where histoplasmosis is endemic.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Cryptococcus infection in a patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: imaging findings mimicking pulmonary metastases.

An asymptomatic pulmonary mass was found in a 42-year-old unmarried male with controlled nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) during routine follow-up chest radiography 8 months following completion of radiotherapy. Chest CT demonstrated a 3x2 cm(2) left lower lobe (LLL) mass, with further small nodules in the same lobe. A presumptive diagnosis of lung metastases was made, and the patient underwent surgical resection with left lower lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection. Pathologic examination of the masses in the LLL revealed granulomatous inflammation with cryptococcus infection. The dissected lymph nodes revealed anthracosis. The patient received 6 months of antifungal treatment with fluconazole. His NPC showed no evidence of local recurrence or distant metastases. Recognition that pulmonary cryptococcus infection can mimic metastases is important in reaching the correct diagnosis and therefore determining the correct treatment.

Adult↗

Localized Aspergillus infestation in primary lung carcinoma. Clinical and pathological contrasts with post-tuberculous intracavitary aspergilloma.

Saprophytic infestation with Aspergillus was observed in pathologic specimens of primary squamous cell lung carcinoma. In one case, the fungus grew in cystic scarred parenchyma and bronchi distal to an obstructing carcinoma of a segment bronchus. In the other, fungi colonized the inner surface of a peripheral cavitary carcinoma. Neither patient had roentgenographic evidence of aspergilloma and neither experienced severe pulmonary hemorrhage or other complications attributable to the presence of fungus. Although both specimens showed colonizing growth within the abnormal air spaces, in neither had the colonies detached to form a separate intracavitary fungus ball. These patients, and eight patients with similar lesions reported in the literature, demonstrate that Aspergillus colonization of a lung neoplasm frequently lacks one or both of the features characteristic of post-inflammatory intracavitary aspergilloma, a loose fungus ball and antifungal serum antibodies. No patient, to date, has developed massive hemorrhage as a complication of this lesion.

Aspergillosis↗

Granulomatous pulmonary zygomycosis in a patient without underlying illness. Computed tomographic appearances and treatment by pneumonectomy.

Pulmonary zygomycosis rarely occurs in the absence of underlying disease. We report a patient with granulomatous pulmonary zygomycosis without underlying disease who presented with a pulmonary mass. We present the computed tomographic findings that we believe have not been described previously. We also report the successful treatment by pneumonectomy.

Aged↗

Terminal pulmonary infections in patients with lung cancer.

To determine the factors that predispose the patient with lung cancer to develop terminal pulmonary infections, we reviewed the case records and autopsy data of 304 patients who died of lung cancer in the Kyushu University Hospital between 1976 and 1990. The incidence of mycobacterial infection was significantly higher among those treated with antineoplastic therapy and corticosteroids (group 3) than in those who received antineoplastic therapy alone (group 2). The incidence of nonbacterial infection did not differ significantly between the two groups. In some group 3 patients, the administration of corticosteroids for relatively short periods (less than one month) led to fatal mycobacterial infection. Among those patients with lymphocytopenia, the incidence of fatal mycobacterial infection was significantly higher in group 3 than in group 2, whereas the incidence of fatal nonbacterial infection was not. In group 3, the incidence of fatal mycobacterial and nonbacterial infections did not differ significantly among those with and without lymphocytopenia. Thus, in patients with lung cancer who were receiving antineoplastic treatment, corticosteroids were more closely associated with the development and exacerbation of mycobacterial infection than was lymphocytopenia. The influence of corticosteroids on the development of nonbacterial infection was not more marked than that of lymphocytopenia. The incidence of common bacterial infections was no higher among those patients who received no antineoplastic treatment or corticosteroid (group 1), group 2, and group 3. Therefore, the local and systemic effects of the lung cancer itself are likely more important in predisposing the patient to bacterial infections than are either antineoplastic agents or corticosteroids.

Aged↗

Inflammatory diseases of the lung causing false-positive 131iodine whole body scans in the evaluation of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Two case reports.

The 131I whole body scan is commonly used to establish the presence of metastatic disease in papillary thyroid carcinoma. False-positive scans are rare, but have been reported. We present two cases of aberrant uptake of radioiodine after thyroidectomy and 131I ablation due to inflammatory conditions of the lung, aspergilloma, and respiratory bronchiolitis.

Adult↗

Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) in lung transplant recipients.

We reviewed all tissue specimens from 163 transplant patients (108 double lung transplant [DLT], 55 single lung transplant [SLT]) between November 1983 and January 1994 for abnormalities indicating bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) and found 17 cases (14 DLT and 3 SLT). Of the three SLTs, BOOP was diagnosed by open lung biopsy (OLB) in two and one was found at autopsy. Of the 14 DLTs, BOOP was diagnosed by transbronchial biopsy (TBB) specimens (9), OLB specimens (2), autopsy (1), TBB and OLB specimens (1), and OLB specimens and autopsy (1). BOOP was found between 1 and 43 months posttransplantation; time of survival from diagnosis was between 2 and 36 months with 9 patients presently alive. Concurrent pathologic diagnosis at the time of BOOP findings were as follows: acute rejection (7) (grade 1 [4] and grade 2 [3]), BO and grade 1 rejection (2), BO and grade 2 rejection (2), BO and Aspergillus infection (1), acute alveolar injury (1), acute alveolar injury and pulmonary embolus (1), acute rejection (grade 1) and Burkholderia cepacia pneumonia (1). No other pathologic diagnosis was found in 1 patient. In total, 11 of 17 patients (65%) had associated acute rejection. Of the 17 patients, 7 subsequently developed BO and 3 had BO before the finding of BOOP. Death occurred in 8 patients (5 DLT and the 3 SLT) between 2 and 6 months after the diagnosis. We conclude that BOOP is an important complication after lung transplantation; it was present in 13% of DLTs and 5% of SLTs. BOOP was most often associated with acute rejection.

Acute Disease↗

Primary pulmonary involvement of Fusarium solani in a lung transplant recipient.

A case of cavitary lung disease caused by Fusarium solani in a lung transplant recipient is presented. A mechanism for development of this infection is proposed. Lipid complex amphotericin B (Abelcet) was effective in eradicating this infection. To our knowledge, invasive lung disease caused by the Fusarium species has not been previously reported in a solid organ transplant recipient.

Amphotericin B↗

Pathologic findings in lung volume reduction surgery.

PURPOSE: Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) has re-emerged as an alternative in the management of patients with chronic, debilitating, emphysematous lung disease. This has permitted the formal evaluation of pathologic pulmonary changes present in these patients. This study seeks to describe systematically the pathologic findings present in patients undergoing LVRS. METHODS: Tissue sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin, as well as special stains, were retrospectively reviewed from the specimens of 65 nonconsecutive LVRS patients (male patients, 66%; female patients, 31%; mean age, 63.2+/-6.76 yr). All operations were conducted via an open technique (bilateral, 83%; unilateral, 17%). RESULTS: Histologic emphysema grade was mild in 9%, moderate in 72%, and severe in 19% of patients. Microscopic bullae were noted in 75% of specimens. Three patients, each with radiographic evidence of a lesion preoperatively, had small (1.1 to 2.8 cm) adenocarcinomas. Granulomatous bronchiolitis and pneumonitis were noted in one patient who postoperatively developed progressive respiratory compromise. An old, inactive aspergilloma was found in the specimen of another patient. Additional findings of potential clinical significance included bronchiolitis (54), bronchiolectasis (6), and bronchoalveolar metaplasia (1). Incidental findings included interstitial fibrosis and scar (55), interstitial inflammation (20), calcification (20), and ossification (11), bone marrow emboli (4), chemodectoma (2), and carcinoid tumorlets (1). CONCLUSION: This systematic analysis of the resected specimens from patients undergoing LVRS describes a wide range of pathologic findings, including those clinically relevant, as well as incidental. As the application of LVRS continues to expand, the likelihood of discovering clinically significant pathologic lesions (eg, carcinoma) will undoubtedly increase.

Aged↗

Aspergillus and endobronchial abnormalities in lung transplant recipients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between aspergillus recovery from the airways of lung transplant recipients and the development of endobronchial abnormalities. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Tertiary-care hospital. PATIENTS: All patients who underwent lung transplantation between December 1991 and June 1999. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The study cohort included 38 patients. The primary end point was the bronchoscopic identification of an endobronchial abnormality. Aspergillus was isolated from the lungs of nine patients (23.7%). Most of these isolates occurred early after transplantation (mean, 8 weeks). Endobronchial abnormalities arose in seven of the patients (18.4%) and manifested as either exuberant granulation tissue or stricture formation. Six of the 9 (66.6%) patients with aspergillus developed airway lesions, compared to 1 of the 29 patients (3.4%) without aspergillus (p = 0.0002). Endobronchial abnormalities were 19.3 times more likely to occur in patients in whom aspergillus had previously been isolated. As a screening test for the subsequent diagnosis of an airway complication, the recovery of aspergillus had a sensitivity and specificity of 85.7% and 90.3%, respectively. These aspergillus-related endobronchial abnormalities were clinically relevant as evidenced by a mean increase of 25.9% in the FEV(1) after bronchoscopic intervention. CONCLUSION: The early isolation of aspergillus from the airways of lung transplant recipients identifies patients at increased risk for the development of clinically significant endobronchial abnormalities.

Aspergillosis↗

Spectrum of Aspergillus infection in lung transplant recipients: case series and review of the literature.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: (1) To define the incidence and natural history of Aspergillus colonization and infection in lung transplant recipients, and (2) to assess the impact of prophylaxis, surveillance, and therapy on the incidence and outcome of the disease. DESIGN: Retrospective review of 133 consecutive single or bilateral lung transplantations performed at a single institution, and review of the published literature. RESULTS: Airway colonization, isolated tracheobronchitis, and invasive pneumonia due to Aspergillus species occurred in 29%, 5%, and 8% of our series, and in 26%, 4%, and 5% of the pooled published data (all series, including ours), respectively. Greater than 50% of all diagnoses were made in the first 6 months after transplantation in both our series and the published literature. Incidence of progression from airway colonization to invasive disease was 1 in 38 in our series and 3 of 97 (3%) in the pooled published data. In patients with isolated tracheobronchitis, all 6 patients in our series and 41 of 50 patients (82%) in all published series, including ours, responded to antifungal therapy and/or surgical debridement. Among patients with invasive pneumonia or disseminated disease, however, 5 of 10 patients in our series and 26 of 64 patients (41%) in the pooled series survived their infection. CONCLUSIONS: The role of antifungal therapy in Aspergillus airway colonization in lung transplant recipients is unclear. Data support a strategy of scheduled screening bronchoscopy followed by aggressive treatment for isolated Aspergillus tracheobronchitis in lung transplant recipients.

Adolescent↗