Lung ultrasound in the management of pneumocystis pneumonia: A case series.

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Lung ultrasound in the management of pneumocystis pneumonia: A case series.

Int J STD AIDS. 2018 Sep 20;:956462418797872

Authors: Limonta S, Monge E, Montuori M, Morosi M, Galli M, Franzetti F

Abstract
Despite the decline in HIV mortality and morbidity, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is still frequently seen, particularly in patients with a low CD4+ cell count. We present a case series where we analyzed the possible role of lung ultrasound (LUS) in the management of PJP in a real-life clinical setting. We describe the ultrasound findings from a consecutive series of six HIV patients hospitalized for PJP, all with a favorable outcome, and evaluated with LUS at admission in our ward and then repeated this once during the hospitalization. Multiple B lines indicating interstitial syndrome were detected at admission in all cases, with a bilateral asymmetric pattern mostly localized in middle and upper lobes. In the follow-up LUS, we noted a substantially improved pattern in all patients, observing a reduction of B lines which correlated with clinical amelioration. One patient at admission and three patients during the follow-up showed lung consolidations with hyperechoic spots inside, that might be typical of the disease. In conclusion, LUS could be a practical and noninvasive imaging tool for supporting diagnosis and treatment response of PJP.

PMID: 30236043 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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