[Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia: comparative study of cases in HIV-infected patients and immunocompromised non-HIV-infected patients].

BACKGROUND: Although P. jiroveci pneumonia affects immunocompromised (IC) patients of any etiology, clinical features and prognostic outcomes are different depending if they are patients with HIV infection or other causes of IC.
OBJECTIVES: To compare clinical and laboratory features as well as outcomes of P. jiroveci pneumonia in HIV versus non-HIV patients.
METHODS: Retrospective review of clinical records of HIV and non-HIV patients with P. jiroveci pneumonia managed at the Hospital Clínico Universidad Católica in Santiago, Chile, between 2005 and 2007.
RESULTS: We included 28 HIV and 45 non-HIV patients with confirmed P. jiroveci pneumonia. The non-HIV population was older (65 vs 36,2 years, p < 0,01), had shorter duration of symptoms (7 [1-21] vs 14 [2-45] days, p < 0,01), required more invasive techniques (60 vs 21%, p < 0,01) and RT-PCR to confirm the diagnosis (93 vs 68%, p < 0,01), were more frequently treated at intensive care units (58 vs. 25%, p < 0,01) requiring artificial ventilation (56 vs 11%, p < 0,01), and had a higher attributable mortality (33% vs 0%, p < 0,01).
CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed that P. jiroveci pneumonia in non-HIV IC patients is more severe, more difficult to diagnose and has higher mortality that in HIV patients. Therefore, it is mandatory to optimize diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this patients group.