[Pulmonary nocardiosis with elevation of serum beta-D-glucan in a patient with polymyositis]

Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai Zasshi. 2011 Oct;49(10):750-5.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

A 73-year-old woman with polymyositis, who had received corticosteroids and immune-suppressive agents, was admitted to our hospital because of general fatigue and severe cough. Chest X-ray film and CT scan showed a large tumor shadow in the left upper lobe and several ground-glass opacities (GGOs) scattered in both lungs. As the white blood cell and C-reactive protein levels were elevated, pnueumonia was suspected and antibiotics were administered. Subsequently, Nocardia spp. was cultured from the sputum and pulmonary nocardiosis was established. She gradually recovered after sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (ST) administration. The pretreatment serum beta-D-glucan level was highly elevated and decreased in parallel with clinical feature. In general, ST should be administered for 6 months to treat pulmonary nocardiosis in a compromised host. It is possible that P3-D-glucan may be a useful marker to treat pulmonary nocardiosis in patients with polymyositis.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Nocardia Infections / blood*
  • Polymyositis / complications*
  • beta-Glucans / blood*

Substances

  • beta-Glucans