Thalidomide for steroid-dependent chronic disseminated candidiasis after stem cell transplantation: A case report

Transpl Infect Dis. 2017 Feb;19(1). doi: 10.1111/tid.12637. Epub 2016 Dec 25.

Abstract

Chronic disseminated candidiasis (CDC) is a rare and difficult-to-treat invasive fungal disease occurring mainly after prolonged and profound neutropenia. We describe the case of a 59-year-old man successfully treated with thalidomide for CDC recurrences after an autologous transplantation. We add evidence of the effectiveness of immunomodulatory drugs to manage inflammatory reconstitution immune syndrome-related refractory CDC.

Keywords: Candida; chronic disseminated candidiasis; immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome; stem cell transplantation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Candida albicans / isolation & purification*
  • Candidiasis / diagnostic imaging
  • Candidiasis / drug therapy*
  • Candidiasis / immunology
  • Chronic Disease
  • Fluconazole / administration & dosage
  • Fluconazole / therapeutic use
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage
  • Glucocorticoids / adverse effects
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use*
  • Hodgkin Disease / complications
  • Hodgkin Disease / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome / diagnostic imaging
  • Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome / immunology
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / administration & dosage
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neutropenia / complications
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
  • Recurrence
  • Thalidomide / administration & dosage
  • Thalidomide / adverse effects
  • Thalidomide / therapeutic use*
  • Transplantation, Homologous / adverse effects
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Thalidomide
  • Fluconazole

Supplementary concepts

  • Systemic candidiasis