title: Invasive Aspergillus infections in hospitalized patients with chronic lung disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is more prevalent in immunocompromised patients, critical care clinicians need to be aware of the occurrence of IPA in the nontraditional host, such as a patient with chronic lung disease. The purpose of this study was to describe the IPA patient with chronic lung disease and compare the data with that of immunocompromised patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of 351 patients with Aspergillus were evaluated in this single-center, retrospective study for evidence and outcomes of IPA. The outcomes of 57 patients with chronic lung disease and 56 immunocompromised patients were compared. Patients with chronic lung disease were defined by one of the following descriptive terms: emphysema, asthma, idiopathic lung disease, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, sarcoid, or pulmonary leukostasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline demographics were similar between the two groups. Patients with chronic lung disease were primarily defined by emphysema (61%) and asthma (18%), and immunocompromised patients primarily had malignancies (27%) and bone marrow transplants (14%). A higher proportion of patients with chronic lung disease had a diagnosis of IPA by bronchoalveolar lavage versus the immunocompromised group (P < 0.03). The major risk factors for IPA were found to be steroid use in the chronic lung disease group and neutropenia and prior surgical procedures in the immunocompromised group. Overall, 53% and 69% of chronic lung disease and immunocompromised patients were cured (P = 0.14); 55% of chronic lung patients and 47% of immunocompromised patients survived one month (P = 0.75).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nontraditional patients with IPA, such as those with chronic lung disease, have outcomes and mortality similar to that in the more traditional immunocompromised population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Mireya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wessolossky
authors.forename: Verna L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Ajanta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Tara M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Luke
keywords: Aspergillus; antifungals; chronic lung disease; intensive care units; moulds