title: Fatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis in a patient receiving low dose prednisolone therapy.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis is uncommon in patients who are not gravely immunodepressed. We report a case of fatal CMV colitis in a 54-year-old woman on low dose steroid therapy. She was admitted to hospital after sudden onset of abdominal pain and hemorrhagic watery diarrhea. After 25 days in the hospital, treatment with high dosage of methylprednisolone was started for presumed ulcerative colitis. Her condition worsened and she died 52 days after admission. It is important to recognize CMV colitis as differential diagnosis to inflammatory bowel disease, particularly when the colitis is refractory to immunosuppressive treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine A, National Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aukrust
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moum
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Farstad
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holter
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bjørneklett
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kremer
mesh_terms: D001168:Arthritis / Q000188:drug therapy; D003092:Colitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003106:Colon / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011239:Prednisolone