title: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in childhood systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is known to occur in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), this infection has rarely been described in childhood SLE. We describe 3 children with SLE who developed PCP and describe risk factors for this complication.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective case review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 3 children had severe active SLE with organ involvement requiring immunosuppressive therapy, but the clinical presentations of PCP differed in each patient. They shared some of the known risk factors for opportunistic infection in adults with SLE, including lymphopenia, but severe lymphopenia (< 0.35 x 10(9)/1) was not seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCP is an uncommon but serious complication of childhood SLE, and should be considered in the presence of respiratory symptoms, however subtle. The role of oral chemoprophylaxis is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Malleson
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Roberton
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cabral
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination