Acute cor pulmonale due to lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia in a child with AIDS.
BACKGROUND
Acute cor pulmonale is a clinical syndrome with signs of right-sided heart failure resulting from sudden increase of pulmonary vascular resistance.


METHODS
A five-year-old male, infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), was admitted at the division of infectious diseases of this hospital with cough, tachydyspnea, fever, and breathing difficulty. Computed tomography scan showed ground-glass opacities, cystic lesions, and bronchiectasis. The patient had nasal flaring, intercostal and subcostal retractions, and keeled chest. Abdomen was depressible; liver was 3 cm from the right-costal border, while spleen was 6 cm from the left-costal border. Echocardiogram examinations showed signs of acute cor pulmonale characterized by pulmonary hypertension and increased right-heart chamber dimensions. DIAGNOSTICS OUTCOME: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-B3, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP), and acute cor pulmonale. Regressions of pulmonary hypertension and of right-heart chamber were observed after 30 days of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and chloroquine therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
AIDS should be considered in children with recurrent pneumonia that is mostly associated with LIP rather than cystic fibrosis.
Hospital Estadual Infantil Nossa Senhora da Glória, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. sandrafagundesmoreira@gmail.com
Sandra Fagundes
SF
Moreira-Silva
Linda Marly C
LM
Moreno
Mariana
M
Dazzi
Consuelo Maria Caiafa
CM
Freire
Angelica Espinosa
AE
Miranda
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications*; D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011660:Pulmonary Heart Disease