S Wu1, X Lin. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325000.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To heighten the awareness of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. METHOD: Six cases of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia were retrospectively analyzed. RESULT: The underlying diseases were leukemia, lymphoma, renal transplantation and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The clinical features were dyspnea, cough and fever. X rays typically showed a bilateral diffuse or patchy interstitial infiltrate. Three cases complicated with acute respiratory failure showed hypoxemia, intrapulmonary shunt and reduced compliance resembling ARDS. CPAP/PEEP was required. High-level PEEP (> 1.47 kPa) can be applied to the refractory hypoxemia. SMZco and dapsone were the initial choice of treatment. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia with acute respiratory failure was poor. Aggressive early diagnosis and treatment were critical to improve survival.
OBJECTIVE: To heighten the awareness of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. METHOD: Six cases of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia were retrospectively analyzed. RESULT: The underlying diseases were leukemia, lymphoma, renal transplantation and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The clinical features were dyspnea, cough and fever. X rays typically showed a bilateral diffuse or patchy interstitial infiltrate. Three cases complicated with acute respiratory failure showed hypoxemia, intrapulmonary shunt and reduced compliance resembling ARDS. CPAP/PEEP was required. High-level PEEP (> 1.47 kPa) can be applied to the refractory hypoxemia. SMZco and dapsone were the initial choice of treatment. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia with acute respiratory failure was poor. Aggressive early diagnosis and treatment were critical to improve survival.