Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia during steroid taper in patients with primary brain tumors.
Pneumocystis carinii causes life-threatening pneumonitis (PCP) in immunocompromised individuals. In the non-AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) population, PCP is frequently associated with corticosteroid therapy, and the rodent model uses corticosteroid-induced immunosuppression to provoke PCP. Although patients with intracranial tumors are frequently treated with long courses of corticosteroids, there have been very few descriptions of PCP in this population. We report the diagnosis and treatment of PCP in four patients over a 12-month period with intracranial neoplasms who developed symptoms during corticosteroid taper. Effective prophylaxis against PCP exists and should be considered for patients with intracranial neoplasms receiving long-term steroids.
Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
A
A
Slivka
P Y
PY
Wen
W M
WM
Shea
J S
JS
Loeffler
D000368:Aged; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010296:Parietal Lobe; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000209:etiology*
D003907:Dexamethasone