Serum markers as an aid in the diagnosis of pulmonary fungal infections in AIDS patients

ABSTRACT Introduction: The etiology of pulmonary infections in HIV patients is determined by several variables including geographic region and availability of antiretroviral therapy. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted from 2012 to 2016 to evaluate the occurrence of pulmonary fungal infection in HIV-patients hospitalized due to pulmonary infections. Patients’ serums were tested for (1-3)-β-D-Glugan, galactomannan, and lactate dehydrogenase. The association among the variables was analyzed by univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Results: 60 patients were included in the study. The patients were classified in three groups: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (19 patients), community-acquired pneumonia (18 patients), and other infections (23 patients). The overall mortality was 13.3%. The time since diagnosis of HIV infection was shorter in the pneumocystosis group (4.94 years; p = 0.001) than for the other two groups of patients. The multivariate analysis showed that higher (1-3)-β-D-Glucan level (mean: 241 pg/mL) and lactate dehydrogenase (mean: 762 U/L) were associated with the diagnosis of pneumocystosis. Pneumocystosis was the aids-defining illness in 11 out of 16 newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients. Conclusion: In the era of antiretroviral therapy, PJP was still the most prevalent pulmonary infection and (1-3)-β-D-Glucan and lactate dehydrogenase may be suitable markers to help diagnosing pneumocystosis in our HIV population.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Passos,Ana Isabela Morsch, Dertkigil,Rachel Polo, Ramos,Marcelo de Carvalho, Busso-Lopes,Ariane Fidelis, Tararan,Cibele, Ribeiro,Erivan Olinda, Schreiber,Angélica Zaninelli, Trabasso,Plinio, Resende,Mariangela Ribeiro, Moretti,Maria Luiza
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases 2017
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-86702017000600606
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