title: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia after heart transplantation.
abstract: Five patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia after heart transplantation are reported. Four had severe clinical symptoms, whereas 1 was asymptomatic. Mechanical ventilatory support was necessary in 1 because of respiratory distress. Pneumocystis carinii infection developed in 4 patients within the first 4 postoperative months, and 1 patient had clinical disease 1 year after transplantation with a recurrence 9 months later. All were treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole either orally or intravenously (10 to 20 mg.kg-1.day-1 of trimethoprim). All patients recovered from infection and received the same drug prophylactically for 2 to 20 months after the infection. All patients are doing well after Pneumocystis carinii infection except 1 who died after an acute myocardial infarction 4 years after infection. We conclude that trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is an effective agent for the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia after heart transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saigenji
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rhenmen
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vasu
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Icenogle
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Copeland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination