title: Risk factors for pneumocystis pneumonia in giant cell arteritis: a single-centre cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) is a life-threatening opportunistic infection. Few PCP cases in giant cell arteritis (GCA) have been described, but it remains unknown, which patients need PCP prophylaxis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two patients with GCA from a prospective cohort were studied to identify treatment-related predictors of PCP infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four PCP infections occurred, all in patients treated with methotrexate in addition to prednisone. Moreover, PCP is associated with higher cumulative PDN doses and severe lymphocytopenia (<400/μl).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support PCP-prophylaxis in GCA patients who are treated with methotrexate and PDN, and need high prednisone doses to achieve remission, or develop severe lymphocytopenia.
authors.affiliation: Medical Outpatient Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, and Translational Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Greiff
authors.affiliation: Medical Outpatient Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: John
authors.affiliation: Medical Outpatient Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Koenig
authors.affiliation: Translational Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Bigler
authors.affiliation: Medical Outpatient Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine; and Immunodeficiency Lab, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Recher
authors.affiliation: Medical Outpatient Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine; and Immunobiology Lab, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Rheumatology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Daikeler
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate