title: Clinical evaluation of patients with inflammatory connective tissue diseases complicated by cytomegalovirus antigenemia.
abstract: We evaluated the occurrence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and the background characteristics in twenty-three hospitalized patients with inflammatory connective tissue diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, rheumatoid vasculitis, microscopic polyangitis, and Takayasu's arteritis. Cytomegalovirus antigenemia was demonstrated in 10 of 23 evaluable patients. Five of ten patients with CMV antigenemia developed symptomatic CMV disease (all cases of fever, two cases of liver involvement, two cases of interstitial pneumonia, and one case of unknown organ involvement), whereas the remaining five patients were asymptomatic. Most of CMV antigenemia-positive patients had been administered intravenous steroid pulse, or in combination with immunosuppressive agents intravenously or orally because of refractory disease activity. Particularly, in patients who received intravenous methylprednisolone pulse in combination with additional intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse, the incidence of CMV antigenemia was markedly higher (four out of four). Four of ten CMV antigenemia-positive patients simultaneously showed detection of Pneumocystis jiroveci in induced sputum by PCR, increase in level of serum beta-D-glucan and the finding of geographical ground-glass opacities on chest computed tomography. These findings suggested that patients with connective tissue diseases under intensive immunosuppressive therapies (intravenous steroid pulse in combination with additional intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse in particular) are highly susceptible to CMV infection and disease, and that patients complicated by CMV antigenemia are susceptible to combined opportunistic infection such as Pneumocystis pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, First Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8666, Japan. yoda2005ym@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoda
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hanaoka
authors.forename: Hirotsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ide
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Isozaki
authors.forename: Mizuho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsunawa
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yajima
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shiozawa
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miwa
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Negishi
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kasama
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host / Q000276:immunology*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000276:immunology; D016720:Pneumocystis Infections / Q000276:immunology; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug / Q000009:adverse effects; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide