Clinical and radiographic presentations of pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients.
Pulmonary cryptococcosis is often noted in immunocompromized patients, especially in HIV-seropositive patients and post-transplant patients. Only a few case reports and small-scale studies on pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients have been published in the English literature. However, there are several areas of uncertainty in this group of patients including image presentations and management strategy. This retrospective study including 17 patients is designed to share our 7 y of experience in clarifying the characteristics of pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients, including initial symptoms, diagnostic criteria, pulmonary imaging, treatment and outcome in a tertiary teaching hospital in Taiwan.
Yang
Chih-Jen
CJ
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Hwang
Jhi-Jhu
JJ
Wang
Tung-Heng
TH
Cheng
Meng-Shuan
MS
Kang
Wan-Yi
WY
Chen
Tun-Chieh
TC
Huang
Ming-Shyan
MS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome