Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous organisms; their isolation from clinical specimens does not always indicate clinical disease. The incidence of NTM lung diseases has been increasing worldwide. Although the geographic diversity of NTM species is well known, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), M. abscessus complex (MABC), and M. kansasii are the most commonly encountered and important etiologic organisms. Two distinct types of NTM lung diseases have been reported, namely fibrocavitary and nodular bronchiectatic forms. For laboratory diagnosis of NTM lung diseases, both liquid and solid media cultures and species-level identification are strongly recommended to enhance growth detection and determine the clinical relevance of isolates. Treatment for NTM lung diseases consists of a multidrug regimen and a long course of therapy, lasting more than 12 months after negative sputum conversion. For MAC lung disease, several new macrolide-based regimens are now recommended. For nodular bronchiectatic forms of MAC lung diseases, an intermittent three-time-weekly regimen produces outcomes similar to those of daily therapy. Treatment of MABC lung disease is very difficult, requiring long-term use of parenteral agents in combination with new macrolides. Treatment outcomes are much better for M. massiliense lung disease than for M. abscessus lung disease. Thus, precise identification of species in MABC infection is needed for the prediction of antibiotic response. Likewise, increased efforts to improve treatment outcomes and develop new agents for NTM lung disease are needed.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Lung Diseases/*diagnosis/drug therapy/epidemiology ; Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous/*diagnosis/drug therapy/epidemiology ; Mycobacterium avium Complex/isolation & purification ; Sputum/microbiology

Mycobacterium kansasii is one of the most common cause of pulmonary diseases due to nontuberculous mycobacteria. We investigated the changing in the number of isolation of M. kansasii and the clinical characteristics of M. kansasii pulmonary disease in Korea. Through searching the database of the Korean Institute of Tuberculosis, we identified the cases of isolated M. kansasii from 1992 to 2002. The number of M. kansasii isolation had increased from once in 1992 to 62 in 2002. Fifteen patients with M. kansasii pulmonary disease were identified during the period January 1997 to December 2002. Twelve patients (80%) were male and fourteen (93%) were from highly industrialized areas. The most common symptom was a cough. Seven patients (47%) had a cavitary lesion and right upper lobe was most commonly involved. Patients responded well to isoniazid and rifampicin based regimens both bacteriologically and radiographically. In conclusion, M. kansasii isolation has increased, especially in highly industrialized areas, as well as other nontuberculous mycobacteria in Korea.
Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Lung Diseases/diagnosis/drug therapy/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium Infections, Atypical/diagnosis/drug therapy/*epidemiology/microbiology ; *Mycobacterium kansasii/isolation and purification ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

OBJECTIVETo identify the risk factors which will indicate the Pneumocystis carinii (Pc) infection in children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and investigate the clinical features and to elevate the level to find out the high-risk patients and make early diagnosis and treatment.

METHODThe characteristics, clinical features, laboratory examinations, treatment and prognosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in children with SLE under 18 years of age treated in our hospital between January 2000 and January 2013 were prospectively reviewed. A comparison was made with the 26 cases of SLE children without PCP who were matched for gender, age and course, and a literature review was made.

RESULTS(1) Five cases were enrolled, 3 were male and 2 female. Their age range was 13-17 (14.0 ± 1.6) years. All the children had kidney involvement. The courses were from 3 months to 4.5 years. All patients were receiving daily glucocorticoid therapy and immunosuppressive drugs before the diagnosis of PCP.Four patients were in the inactive phase of SLE (SLEDAI 2-4 points), and the fifth case was in active phase (SLEDAI 8, low complement 2 points, anti-dsDNA antibody positive 2 points, urine-protein 4 points). (2) Besides the clinical manifestations of SLE, most patients had progressive dyspnea, fever and dry cough at onset of PCP. Two children accepted mechanical ventilation because of respiratory failure. The mean duration of the symptoms to diagnosis was 10-30 (17.6 ± 7.8) days. Lactose dehydrogenase (LDH) was elevated more or less, median was (700 ± 263) U/L. Lymphocyte count were (0.3-1.4)×10(9)/L (median 0.5×10(9)/L), and three children had CD4 T lymphocyte count <0.3×10(9)/L. Arterial blood gas analyses showed severe hypoxemia. Chest radiographs showed in all cases diffuse interstitial infiltration. Pc was positive in the sputum. All patients were treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and corticosteroids.

CONCLUSIONWhen SLE children are treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, low lymphocyte count is the risk factor for Pc infection.It is essential to monitor lymphocyte count.We should pay more attention to fever, dry cough and hypoxemia. Chest radiologic examination may help diagnose the PCP in SLE children.It may be helpful for SLE children whose CD4T lymphocyte was below 0.3×10(9)/L to take trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for PCP prophylaxis.

Adolescent ; Anti-Infective Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Kidney Diseases ; etiology ; Lung ; pathology ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; complications ; drug therapy ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Opportunistic Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo analyze the condition of early (≤ 30 d) postoperative pulmonary infection in children after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

METHODThe clinical data of 36 cases undergoing LDLT in Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were analyzed retrospectively from June 2006 to December 2009.

RESULTOf 36 cases without preoperative respiratory disease, 17 were boys, 19 were girls. Their age ranged from 2 months to 14 years. Pulmonary infection developed in 24 patients, of whom 4 cases died (17%) and 3 deaths were related to pulmonary infection. Pulmonary infection occurred in 17 of 20 infants (85%) and 10 of 11 cases (91%) with liver function of Child-Pugh grade C. Twenty cases (83%) developed pulmonary infection within first 2 weeks after LDLT. Totally 65 pathogenic strains of microorganisms were isolated, in which Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria and fungi were 46 strains, 5 strains, 14 strains respectively. The most frequently isolated bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14 strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (8 strains) and Acinetobacter baumannii (8 strains). Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed a resistance rate of almost 100% to cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, the first, the second and some of the third generation cephalosporins. Klebsiella pneumoniae producing extended spectrum beta-lactamase had a resistance rate of almost 100% to beta-lactams except carbapenems. Acinetobacter baumannii was exquisitely susceptible to carbapenems, but showed a high resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins. Candida albicans, which was the most common fungus, showed a susceptibility rate of 100% to amphotericin B. In the LDLT recipients of pulmonary infection, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections occurred in 2 patients and Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection in 1 patient.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of early postoperative pulmonary infection was high in children undergoing LDLT, especially in infants. And the mortality should not be ignored. The high risk period for infection was within the first 2 weeks after operation. The pathogens were mainly Gram-negative bacteria, which showed high and multidrug resistance.

Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antifungal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Bacterial Infections ; drug therapy ; etiology ; microbiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Female ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver Transplantation ; Living Donors ; Lung Diseases ; drug therapy ; etiology ; microbiology ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Glucocorticoids are effective for treating several respiratory diseases. However, they can cause hyperglycemia. This study determined the incidence and risk factors of steroidinduced diabetes mellitus (S-DM) in patients treated with glucocorticoid for respiratory diseases. A retrospective study examined patients with respiratory diseases treated with a prednisolone-equivalent glucocorticoid dose exceeding 20 mg/day for at least 4 weeks between January 2003 and December 2008. Patients whose initial random glucose level exceeded 200 mg/dL or who had pre-existing diabetes were excluded. S-DM was defined as a fasting glucose concentration exceeding 126 mg/dL or a random glucose concentration exceeding 200 mg/dL at least twice after beginning steroid treatment. A total of 231 patients with respiratory diseases met the inclusion criteria. Their median age was 55 yr, and 139 were female. The median cumulative prednisolone-equivalent glucocorticoid dose was 4,965 mg, and the median duration of steroid treatment was 193 days. S-DM was diagnosed in 34 (14.7%) of 231 patients. Multivariate logistic regression identified older age (odds ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.09) as a risk factor for S-DM. S-DM is frequent among patients with respiratory diseases treated with glucocorticoid. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of S-DM, especially among elderly patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Glucose/metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus/*chemically induced/*epidemiology ; Female ; Glucocorticoids/*adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Lung Diseases/complications/*drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

Dexamethasone has been widely used in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) weighing less than 1,500 g at birth for the prevention or treatment of chronic lung disease (CLD). Recently, however the use of dexamethasone is being reduced, as its association with abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome is known. On the other hand, there have been persistent concerns about the increased risk of CLD according to the reduction of postnatal dexamethasone use. Hence, we did a retrospective cohort study to delineate the change in the incidence of CLD according to the reduction of dexamethasone use in VLBWI. The medical records of 559 VLBWI admitted to neonatal intensive care unit at Samsung Medical Center between November 1994 and December 2002 were reviewed with a focus on the use of postnatal dexamethasone and the incidence of CLD. The use of postnatal dexamethasone has significantly decreased over the study period. Especially, the use of high-dose regimen has markedly decreased. The day when postnatal dexamethasone therapy was begun has also been significantly delayed. The incidence of CLD has significantly decreased over the same period. In conclusion, the incidence of CLD has not increased despite the decreased use of postnatal dexamethasone.
Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Dexamethasone/*therapeutic use ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; *Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Lung Diseases/*drug therapy/*epidemiology ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical and laboratory features and the prognosis of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) complicated with interstitial lung disease (ILD).

METHODData of 39 cases of JDM complicated with ILD hospitalized in Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2005 to December 2011 were collected. The clinical features, laboratory data and prognosis of these children were analyzed.

RESULTOf the 39 cases studied, 16 were boys, and 23 girls. The average age of onset was 5.6 years, and 61.5% of the patients' age of onset (24 cases) was under 6 years. Rashes (17 cases, 43.6%), simultaneous eruption of rashes and muscle weakness (14 cases, 35.9%), fever (4 cases, 10.1%), or muscle weakness (3 cases, 7.7%) were common initial symptoms of the disease. Only 51.3% of the patients (20 cases) had the symptoms of respiratory system, but (24 cases) 61.5% were complicated with that of the gastrointestinal system; (27 cases) 69.2% had at the same time electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities. The chest high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) showed cord or band-like shadows in their lungs of more than half of the cases (25 cases, 64.1%), and other changes included ground glass-like shadow (10 cases, 25.6%), net and lineation-like shadow (9 cases, 23.1%), nodular change (5 cases, 12.8%). The patients complicated with lung essential infiltration accounted for as high as 71.8% (28 cases). These imaging changes were largely seen on both dorsal sides of their lungs. Severe patients also had mediastinal emphysema, pneumothorax, pneumorrhagia or aerodermectasia. Twenty-four patients underwent pulmonary function examination, and 62.5% of the patients' pulmonary function (15 cases) was abnormal. The fatality rate of the cases studied was 10.1%.

CONCLUSIONThe imaging changes of patients suffering from JDM with ILD were often more severe as compared to the clinical symptoms, and were often complicated with damages to other systems and organs. The prognosis of those patients was poorer than others. Patients with JDM especially at a younger age of onset and with various organ damages should be examined with chest HRCT examinations as early as possible.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatomyositis ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Male ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Muscle Weakness ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

To compare clinical features, diagnosis and therapeutic effect between pulmonary histoplasmosis and progressive disseminated histoplasmosis.
 Methods: A retrospective analysis for 12 cases of hospitalized patients with histoplasmosis, who was admitted in Xiangya Hospital, Central South University during the time from February 2009 to October 2015, was carried out. Four cases of pulmonary histoplasmosis and 8 cases of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis were included. The differences of clinical features, imaging tests, means for diagnosis and prognosis were analyzed between the two types of histoplasmosis.
 Results: The clinical manifestations of pulmonary histoplasmosis were mild, such as dry cough. However, the main clinical symptoms of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis were severe, including recurrence of high fever, superficial lymph node enlargement over the whole body, hepatosplenomegaly, accompanied by cough, abdominal pain, joint pain, skin changes, etc.Laboratory examination showed pancytopenia, abnormal liver function and abnormal coagulation function. One pulmonary case received the operation of left lower lung lobectomy, 3 cases of pulmonary histoplasmosis and 6 cases of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis patients were given deoxycholate amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole or fluconazole for antifungal therapy. One disseminated case discharged from the hospital without treatment after diagnosis of histoplasmosis, and 1 disseminated case combined with severe pneumonia and active tuberculosis died ultimately.
 Conclusion: As a rare fungal infection, histoplasmosis is easily to be misdiagnosed. The diagnostic criteria depends on etiology through bone marrow smear and tissues biopsy. Liposomeal amphotericin B, deoxycholate amphotericin B and itraconazole are recommended to treat infection for histoplasma capsulatum.
Abdominal Pain ; etiology ; Amphotericin B ; therapeutic use ; Antifungal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Biopsy ; Cough ; epidemiology ; Death ; Deoxycholic Acid ; therapeutic use ; Diagnostic Errors ; Drug Combinations ; Fever ; etiology ; Hepatomegaly ; etiology ; Histoplasma ; Histoplasmosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; mortality ; therapy ; Humans ; Invasive Fungal Infections ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Itraconazole ; therapeutic use ; Lung ; microbiology ; surgery ; Lung Diseases, Fungal ; diagnosis ; surgery ; therapy ; Pneumonia ; complications ; mortality ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Splenomegaly ; etiology ; Treatment Outcome ; Tuberculosis ; complications ; mortality