title: Acute phase response in Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
abstract: The acute phase response induced by 19 episodes of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) was analysed in a retrospective study. There were 9 men and 1 woman with HIV, aged 25-45 years (mean 37.2) and 4 men and 4 women with other immunodeficiencies, aged 18-35 years (mean 26.2). The outcome of these two groups with PCP did not differ: in the HIV group 4 died and in the non-HIV group 2 died. In the HIV group, peak serum C-reactive protein (S-CRP) ranged 41-228 mg/l, mean 126 (77.3), and in the non-HIV group 19-290 mg/l, mean 105 (89.1) (NS). The patients with a fatal outcome had higher mean peak S-CRP: 186 (73.8) mg/l versus 85.3 (63.5) mg/l in the survivors (p = 0.007). The HIV infection itself did not increase the S-CRP concentration, which was normal before or after PCP in all 7 survivors of the 11 episodes. Thus, PCP induces a clear-cut S-CRP response, which may be used for monitoring the treatment and evaluating the prognosis of the patient.
authors: Second Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Syrjälä
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Lähdevirta
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Ruutu
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Jokipii
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Jokipii
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Ruutu
mesh_terms: D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies