Corticosteroids as adjunctive treatment in Austrian's syndrome (pneumococcal endocarditis, meningitis, and pneumonia): report of two cases and review of the literature.
This report describes two cases of Osler's triad of pneumonia, meningitis, and endocarditis, as a result of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, also called Austrian's syndrome. In the first patient, a 51 year old non-alcoholic man, the aortic valve was affected and needed to be replaced in an emergency operation. The mitral valve was affected in a 70 year old woman without underlying disease, who only benefited from medical treatment. Both patients received corticosteroids, either dexamethasone followed by low doses of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone, or only hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone, at the onset of the illness, and their outcome was favourable. These case reports focus on the presentation, prognosis, and therapeutic options for this severe syndrome.
Department of Medical Intensive Care, University Hospital of Caen, 14000 Caen, France. ducheyron-d@chu-caen.fr
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du Cheyron
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Lesage
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Le Page
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Flais
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Leclercq
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Charbonneau
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D013577:Syndrome
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones