title: [Varicella pneumonia complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome: two cases report].
abstract: Varicella is an exantematic disease caused by varicella-zoster virus. Varicella pneumonia complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is very rare in adults and is associated with high morbimortality. We report two cases of ARDS secondary to varicella-zoster virus pneumonia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report two cases of ARDS and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) secondary to varicella-zoster virus pneumonia. A 15-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and a 29-year-old immunocompetent female were admitted in the ICU with primary varicella infection and pneumonia. Both cases progressed towards ARDS, severe thrombocytopenia and acidosis. In addition cardiovascular and renal failure occurred in the first and second patients, respectively. Treatment consisted of immediate administration of intravenous acyclovir and a lung-protective ventilation strategy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both cases of varicella-zoster pneumonia, complicated with ARDS and MODS, had a favourable outcome.
authors.affiliation: FAMERP.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: FAMERP.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castelão
authors.affiliation: FAMERP.
authors.forename: Susana Orrico
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.affiliation: FAMERP.
authors.forename: Suzana Margareth
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lobo