Presence of a partially acid-labile alpha-interferon in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with cytomegalovirus pneumonitis is associated with a poor prognosis.
In 30 patients with pneumonitis, 16 of whom had undergone bone marrow transplantation, 13 episodes of cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonitis were diagnosed. In three of these, alpha-interferon, which in two cases was partially acid-labile, was detected in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. All three of these patients died. Only two deaths occurred in ten patients without detectable levels of alpha interferon in the lavage fluid. CMV pneumonitis in immunocompromised patients appears to stimulate the local production of a partially acid-labile alpha-interferon, and its presence is associated with a poor prognosis. Gamma-interferon was not found in the lavage fluid of any patient with pneumonitis.
Lever
A M
AM
Department of Virology, Royal Free Hospital, London, England.
Milburn
H J
HJ
du Bois
R M
RM
Griffiths
P D
PD
Grundy
J E
JE
D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*
D007370:Interferon Type I; D007371:Interferon-gamma