title: Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) in HIV-1-negative patients: a retrospective study 2002-2004.
abstract: A retrospective study was conducted to describe risk factors associated with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) among HIV-negative patients. During 2002-2004, 50 cases of PCP were identified at Rigshospitalet University Hospital on the basis of histology, PCR and clinical symptoms of PCP. Predisposing conditions included haematological malignancy (72%), inflammatory diseases (14%), solid organ transplantation (6%) and other conditions associated with immunodeficiency (8%). The most common treatment related risk factors were steroid usage (76%) and chemotherapy (72%). In 88% of patients who received steroids, dosage was either lowered or given as pulse-therapy in the 2 weeks preceding the onset of symptoms. Only 1 patient was on PCP prophylaxis at diagnosis and only 8 (16%) patients had previously been given PCP prophylaxis. At diagnosis, 78% of patients were lymphopenic. CD4 counts were available in 17 patients. Only 9 patients (52%) had CD4 count values below 300 cells/microl. The overall mortality attributable to PCP was 14% and was significantly associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment. Among immunocompromized HIV-negative patients, PCP should be particularly suspected in the context of steroid treatment and lymphopenia. Although low CD4 count is associated with a higher risk of PCP, the use of CD4 count as guidance for risk identification or prophylaxis among HIV-negative patients appears insufficient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Nykøbing Falster Sygehus, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ulrik M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Overgaard
authors.forename: Jannik
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Helweg-Larsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D045363:Pneumocystis carinii / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome