Combination antifungal therapy for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a heart transplant recipient

Exp Clin Transplant. 2011 Aug;9(4):279-83.

Abstract

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is a severe complication after solid organ transplant, with a high mortality rate. We present a 45-year-old male heart transplant recipient who developed fever, progressive worsening of dyspnea, and productive cough without response to antibiotics. Diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was made based on clinical, laboratory, and radiographic findings. The patient was treated successfully with combined antifungal therapy (voriconazole and micafungin). This case report highlights the importance of a high degree of clinical suspicion to allow curative treatment of invasive aspergillosis and the efficiency of new antifungal drugs.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Echinocandins / therapeutic use*
  • Heart Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis / drug therapy*
  • Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis / microbiology
  • Lipopeptides / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Micafungin
  • Middle Aged
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Triazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Voriconazole

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Echinocandins
  • Lipopeptides
  • Pyrimidines
  • Triazoles
  • Voriconazole
  • Micafungin