Infectious disease ward admission positively influences P. jiroveci pneumonia (PjP) outcome: A retrospective analysis of 116 HIV-positive and HIV-negative immunocompromised patients

PLoS One. 2017 May 15;12(5):e0176881. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176881. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

P. jiroveci (Pj) causes a potentially fatal pneumonia in immunocompromised patients and the factors associated with a bad outcome are poorly understood. A retrospective analysis on Pj pneumonia (PjP) cases occurring in Tor Vergata University Hospital, Italy, during the period 2011-2015. The patients' demographic, clinical and radiological characteristics and the Pj genotypes were considered. The study population included 116 patients, 37.9% of whom had haematological malignancy or underwent haematological stem cell transplantation (HSCT), 22.4% had HIV infection, 16.4% had chronic lung diseases (CLD), 7.8% had a solid cancer, and 3.4% underwent a solid organ transplant (SOT). The remaining 12.1% had a miscellaneous other condition. At univariate analysis, being older than 60 years was significantly correlated with a severe PjP (OR [95%CI] 2.52 [0.10-5.76]; p = 0.031) and death (OR [95%CI] 2.44 [1.05-5.70]; p = 0.036), while a previous trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) prophylaxis were significantly associated with a less severe pneumonia (OR[95%CI] 0.35 [0.15-0.84], p = 0.023); moreover, death due to PjP was significantly more frequent in patients with CLD (OR[95%CI] 3.26 [1.17-9.05]; p = 0.019) while, admission to the Infectious Diseases Unit was significantly associated with fewer deaths (OR[95%CI] 0.10 [0.03-0.36], p = 0.002). At multivariate analysis, a better PjP outcome was observed in patients taking TMP/SMX prophylaxis and that were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Unit (OR[95%CI] 0.27 [0.07-1.03], p = 0.055, OR[95%CI] 0.16 [0.05-0.55]; p = 0.004, respectively). In conclusion, in our study population, TMP/SMX prophylaxis and infectious disease specialist approach were variables correlated with a better PjP outcome.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Communicable Diseases
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • HIV Seropositivity
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Odds Ratio
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Patient Admission*
  • Patients' Rooms*
  • Pneumocystis carinii* / classification
  • Pneumocystis carinii* / genetics
  • Pneumocystis carinii* / isolation & purification
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / drug therapy
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / etiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents

Grants and funding

MA and SGP have received speaker fees, travel grants, and consulting fees from Abbvie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Merck Sharp & Dohme, ViiV Healthcare, and Janssen-Cilag. LS has received travel grants from Gilead Sciences and Merck Sharp & Dohme, payment for lectures from Gilead Sciences, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Abbvie and researcher funding from Gilead. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. All the other authors have no disclosures.