title: Pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the incidence of pulmonary involvement in a cohort of 26 patients in whom a diagnosis of leptospirosis had been made. Seventeen of the 26 patients had respiratory symptoms. Of these 17 patients, 13 had radiographs showing pulmonary abnormality. The most frequent finding was a bilateral patchy alveolar-acinar pattern in six patients. Three patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and died due to multiorgan failure. Only cigarette smoking was significantly associated with respiratory involvement (odds ratio, 19.2; 95% CI, 1.7-250; P < 0.001). The results indicate that pulmonary manifestations are observed in a high percentage of patients with leptospirosis. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for the development of pulmonary involvement in human leptospirosis.
authors.affiliation: Pneumology Service, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia, Spain. med013413@nacom.es
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martínez García
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Diego Damiá
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Menéndez Villanueva
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: López Hontagas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects