Abstract
An 82-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis was admitted to the hospital because of bloody sputum, appetite loss, and a chest-radiographic abnormality. He had previously been treated with oral steroid therapy. The chest X-ray film showed an infiltrative shadow with airlucency in the right upper lung field. Sputum culture for fungi was negative, but a test for aspergillus antigen in serum was positive. Other clinical findings were also compatible with conversion of chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. The patient was successfully treated with a drip infusion of fulconazole. The patients condition was stable for several months, after which he died due to uncontrollable atrial flutter. Mild immunosuppression due to oral steroid therapy probably caused chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis in this case. The patient's general condition worsened after admission and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis developed. This case taught us that therapy for chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis should include management of the patient's general condition as well as treatment of the pulmonary lesions.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.