• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제70권5호
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• pp.371-383
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• 2011

The number of immunocompromised patients has increased over the past decades due to HIV infection, solid and stem cell transplantation, intensified chemotherapy and treatment of autoimmune disease. Pneumonia is a major cause of both morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Clinical management of pneumonia is difficult, since differential diagnosis in this setting is broad and includes both infectious and noninfectious processes. Because the development of pneumonia in immunocompromised patients is frequently life threatening, early therapeutic and diagnostic intervention is essential to obtain better outcomes.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제43권6호
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• pp.833-841
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• 1996

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.73-78
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• 2000

Objective: To describe the HRCT findings of cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia in non-AIDS immunocompromised patients Materials and Methods: This retrospective study involved the ten all non-AIDS immunocompromised patients with biopsy-proven CMV pneumonia and without other pulmonary infection encountered at our Medical Center between January 1997 and May 1999. HRCT scans were retrospectively analysed by two chest radiologists and decisions regarding the findings were reached by consensus. Results: The most frequent CT pattern was ground-glass opacity, seen in all patients, with bilateral patchy (n = 8) and diffuse (n = 2) distribution. Other findings included poorly-defined small nodules (n = 9) and consolidation (n = 7). There was no zonal predominance. The small nodules, bilateral in eight cases and unilateral in one, were all located in the centrilobular region. Consolidation (n = 7), with patchy distribution, was bilateral in five of seven patients (71%). Pleural effusion and bilateral areas of thickened interlobular septa were seen in six patients (60%). Conclusion: CMV pneumonia in non-AIDS immunocompromised patients appears on HRCT scans as bilateral mixed areas of ground-glass opacity, poorly-defined centrilobular small nodules, and consolidation. Interlobular septal thickening and pleural effusion are frequently associated.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제34권7호
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• pp.539-546
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• 2001

배경: 면역저하 환자에게 발생하는 폐 합병증은 흔히 치명적이다. 폐생검술과 같은 침습적인 진단 술기의 위험도 때문에 일반적으로 임상 양상과 방사선 영상 소견에 근거하여 경험적인 치료가 적용된다. 그러나 최근 수술 술기와 수술 전후의 환자 관리의 발전으로 인해 술기와 연관된 위험도는 줄어든 실정이다. 이에 폐합병증을 동반한 심한 면역저하 환자에서 시행된 폐생검술의 위험성 및 유효성에 대하여 전향적으로 분석하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1996년 6월부터 1999년 12월까지 폐합병증을 동반한 면역저하 환자 42명에서 43례의 폐생검술을 실시하였다. 면역저하는 다음과 같이 정의하였고(1, 혈액학적인 질환으로 인해 화학요법이나 다른 치료를 동반하여 받은 경우, 2. 이식 수술 후 면역 억제제를 복용하는 경우, 3. 1 개월 이상의 스테로이드 복용, 4. 원발성 면역결핍 질환), 이상의 면역저하 환자에서 새로운 폐합병증을 동반하고 1 주간의 경험적 치료에 호전이 없거나 급속하게 진행되는 경우를 대상으로 하였다 기저 질환은 혈액학적 질환(31명), 이식 수술 환자(3명), 고형암으로 인한 화학요법(2명)등이었으며 수술은 개흉술이나 video-aided thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)를 통하여 이루어 졌다.

• Journal of Korean Dental Science
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.99-105
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• 2014

Herpes zoster (HZ) is an acute, unilateral inflammatory viral infection characterized by a rash with painful blisters in a localized area of the body. HZ is often associated with intense pain in the acute phase and presents postherpetic neuralgia in the chronic phase. During the prodromal stage of the HZ from the trigeminal nerve, however, the only presenting symptom may be odontalgia, which could be particularly difficult to diagnose. This distinctive syndrome occurs predominantly in the immunocompromised or elderly individuals. In this article, we report a case of HZ developed in the trigeminal nerve of a 60-year-old immunocompromised female patient, whose symptoms including atypical, non-odontogenic odontalgia had improved after series of antiviral treatments.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제25권5호
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• pp.481-492
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• 2024

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and imaging characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection in hospitalized immunocompromised patients in comparison with immunocompetent patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed consecutive adult patients hospitalized for COVID-19 who received at least one dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine at two academic medical centers between June 2021 and December 2022. Immunocompromised patients (with active solid organ cancer, active hematologic cancer, active immune-mediated inflammatory disease, status post solid organ transplantation, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome) were compared with immunocompetent patients. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of immune status on severe clinical outcomes (in-hospital death, mechanical ventilation, or intensive care unit admission), severe radiologic pneumonia (≥ 25% of lung involvement), and typical CT pneumonia. Results: Of 2218 patients (mean age, 69.5 ± 16.1 years), 274 (12.4%), and 1944 (87.6%) were immunocompromised an immunocompetent, respectively. Patients with active solid organ cancer and patients status post solid organ transplantation had significantly higher risks for severe clinical outcomes (adjusted odds ratio = 1.58 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.01-2.47], P = 0.042; and 3.12 [95% CI, 1.47-6.60], P = 0.003, respectively). Patient status post solid organ transplantation and patients with active hematologic cancer were associated with increased risks for severe pneumonia based on chest radiographs (2.96 [95% CI, 1.54-5.67], P = 0.001; and 2.87 [95% CI, 1.50-5.49], P = 0.001, respectively) and for typical CT pneumonia (9.03 [95% CI, 2.49-32.66], P < 0.001; and 4.18 [95% CI, 1.70-10.25], P = 0.002, respectively). Conclusion: Immunocompromised patients with COVID-19 breakthrough infection showed an increased risk of severe clinical outcome, severe pneumonia based on chest radiographs, and typical CT pneumonia. In particular, patients status post solid organ transplantation was specifically found to be associated with a higher risk of all three outcomes than hospitalized immunocompetent patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.45-47
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• 2008

Fungal infections of the spine are relatively uncommon. Moreover, cervical spondylodiscitis due to Candida albicans in non-immunocompromised patient is very rare. We report a case of Candida spondylodiscitis in a 64-year-old woman who complained of neck pain. The clinical feature and treatment option are presented with a review of pertinent literatures.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제54권1호
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• pp.93-96
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• 2016

Toxoplasmosis, a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, occurs throughout the world. Human T. gondii infection is asymptomatic in 80% of the population; however, the infection is life-threatening and causes substantial neurologic damage in immunocompromised patients such as HIV-infected persons. The major purpose of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in subjects infected with HIV/AIDS in eastern China. Our findings showed 9.7% prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody in HIV/AIDS patients, which was higher than in intravenous drug users (2.2%) and healthy controls (4.7%), while no significant difference was observed in the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibody among all participants (P>0.05). Among all HIV/AIDS patients, 15 men (7.7%) and 10 women (15.9%) were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibody; however, no significant difference was detected in the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibody between males and females. The frequency of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibody was 8.0%, 13.2%, 5.5%, and 0% in patients with normal immune function ($CD4^+$ T-lymphocyte count ${\geq}500cells/ml$), immunocompromised patients (cell count ${\geq}200$ and <500 cells/ml), severely immunocompromised patients (cell count ${\geq}50$ and <200 cells/ml), and advanced AIDS patients, respectively (cell count <50 cells/ml), while only 3 immunocompromised patients were positive for anti-T. gondii IgM antibody. The results indicate a high seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in HIV/AIDS patients in eastern China, and a preventive therapy for toxoplasmosis may be given to HIV/AIDS patients based on $CD4^+$ T lymphocyte count.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제83권2호
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• pp.132-140
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• 2020

In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is a well-known opportunistic infection and its management has been established. However, PCP is an emerging threat to immunocompromised patients without HIV infection, such as those receiving novel immunosuppressive therapeutics for malignancy, organ transplantation, or connective tissue diseases. Clinical manifestations of PCP are quite different between patients with and without HIV infections. In patients without HIV infection, PCP rapidly progresses, is difficult to diagnose correctly, and causes severe respiratory failure with a poor prognosis. High-resolution computed tomography findings are different between PCP patients with HIV infection and those without. These differences in clinical and radiological features are due to severe or dysregulated inflammatory responses that are evoked by a relatively small number of Pneumocystis organisms in patients without HIV infection. In recent years, the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction and serum β-D-glucan assay for rapid and non-invasive diagnosis of PCP has been revealed. Although corticosteroid adjunctive to anti-Pneumocystis agents has been shown to be beneficial in some populations, the optimal dose and duration remain to be determined. Recent investigations revealed that Pneumocystis colonization is prevalent and that asymptomatic carriers are at risk for developing PCP and can serve as the reservoir for the spread of Pneumocystis by airborne transmission. These findings suggest the need for chemoprophylaxis in immunocompromised patients as well as infection control measures, although the indications remain controversial. Because a variety of novel immunosuppressive therapeutics have been emerging in medical practice, further innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of PCP are needed.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.190-197
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• 2020

소아에서 후두기관지염이 진균에 의해 발생하는 경우는 매우 드물고 주로 선행 요인이 있는 환자에 보고된다. 또한, Aspergillus 감염에 의한 후두기관지염은 초기에 무증상이거나 가슴 X선 사진에서 특이점이 없는 경우가 많아 조기 진단이 어렵다. 저자는 피부증상과 비감염성 발열을 조절하기 위해 장기간 저용량 스테로이드를 사용했던 복용력이 있는 일차성 면역 결핍 질환이 의심되는 환자에서 점진적인 호흡 부전을 보였고 가막성 아르페르길루스증(Pseudomembranous aspergillosis)에 의한 후두기관지염으로 밝혀진 사례를 보고하여 Aspergillus 후두기관지염의 고위험 환자군에서 조기 진단을 통한 치료의 중요성을 알리고자 한다.