title: Fatal massive hemoptysis in a patient on low-dose oral prednisone: chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis.
abstract: We report a case of chronic necrotizing aspergillosis in a 74-year-old man with chronic lung disease, who was on low-dose prednisone. The patient was treated with various antibiotics but had no improvement. Sample obtained via bronchoscopy grew Aspergillus, and the patient was started on lipid formulation amphotericin B. Three days after admission the patient developed fatal massive hemoptysis, presumably secondary to acquired systemic-to-pulmonary vascular communication. This is an unusual presentation of a rare manifestation of pulmonary aspergillosis. A high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose this susceptible patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. bobbak.vahid@mail.tju.edu
authors.forename: Bobbak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vahid
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001229:Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011241:Prednisone