Delftia acidovorans pneumonia with lung cavities formation.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 52-year-old female patient was admitted to our clinic with complaints of cough, sputum, fever and fatigue. The patient has been receiving immunosuppressive therapy for thrombocytopenic purpura for 5 years. CLINICAL FINDING: Inspiratory crackles were heard on both hemithorax. Oxygen saturation measured with the pulse oximeter was 97%. Chest X-ray showed diffuse reticular opacities that were more prominent in the upper zones of both lungs. WBC counts were 17,600 mm3 and Platelet counts were 29,000 mm3. Thorax CT showed that there were many thin-walled cavities and millimetric nodules accompanied by ground-glass infiltrates in the upper and middle lobes. Gram staining of bronchial fluid, taken by bronchoscopy, revealed Gram-negative bacilli and intense polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The bacteria were defined as Delftia acidovorans by BD Phoenix automated system. TREATMENT AND OUTCOMES: The patient was hospitalized with suspicion of opportunistic pulmonary infections and cavitary lung disease. After the empirical treatment of intravenous piperacillin-tazobactam and oral clarithromycin, her clinical and radiological findings significantly regressed, and she was discharged with outpatient follow-up. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first example of cavitary pneumonia due to Delftia acidovorans in an immunocompromised patient. We would like to emphasize that Delftia pneumonia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary cavitary involvement in such patients.

DESCRIPCIÓN DEL CASO: Una mujer de 52 años llegó a la clínica con tos, esputo, fiebre y fatiga. El paciente estuvo recibiendo terapia inmunosupresora durante 5 años para el tratamiento de la púrpura trombocitopénica. HALLAZGO CLÍNICO: se escucharon crepitaciones inspiratorias en ambos hemitórax. La saturación de oxígeno fue del 97%. La radiografía de tórax mostró opacidades reticulares difusas que eran más prominentes en las zonas superiores de ambos pulmones. Los recuentos de leucocitos fueron de 17,600 mm3 y los recuentos de plaquetas fueron de 29,000 mm3. La TC de tórax mostró muchas cavidades de pared delgada y nódulos milimétricos acompañados de infiltrados vitrales en los lóbulos superior y medio. La tinción de Gram del líquido bronquial reveló bacilos gramnegativos y leucocitos polimorfonucleares. Las bacterias fueron identificadas como Delftia acidovorans. TRATAMIENTO Y RESULTADOS: La paciente fue hospitalizado con una sospecha de infección oportunista pulmonar y enfermedad pulmonar cavitaria. Después del tratamiento empírico de piperacilina-tazobactam intravenosa y claritromicina oral, los síntomas y signos retrocedieron significativamente, y fue dada de alta con seguimiento ambulatorio. RELEVANCIA CLÍNICA: este es el primer registro de neumonía cavitaria causado por Delftia acidovorans en una paciente inmunocomprometida. Enfatizamos que la neumonía por Delftia debe considerarse en el diagnóstico diferencial de la afectación de la cavidad pulmonar en tales pacientes.

Assessments of the associations of thrombus localization with accompanying disorders, risk factors, D-dimer levels, and the red cell distribution width in pulmonary embolism.

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary embolisms occur as a wide spectrum ranging from clinically asymptomatic thrombi to massive thrombi that lead to cardiogenic shock. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations of thrombus localization with risk factors, accompanying disorders, D-dimer levels and the red blood cell distribution width in patients with pulmonary embolism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 148 patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism, the presence and anatomical localization of the thrombus were assessed via computed tomographic pulmonary angiography. The accompanying disorders, risk factors, serum D-dimer levels, and red blood cell distribution width of the patients were retrospectively evaluated. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02388841. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 54±16.0 years, and 48 patients were ≥65 years of age. The most frequent accompanying disorders were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (22%) and malignancy (10.1%), and the most frequent risk factors were recent operation (14.1%) and immobilization (18.2%). Thrombi were most frequently observed in the right pulmonary artery (37.8%). In 31% of the patients, the thrombus was localized to the main pulmonary arteries. Immobile patients exhibited a higher proportion of thrombi in the main pulmonary arteries than mobile patients. The mean D-dimer level and the mean red blood cell distribution width in the patients with thrombi in the main pulmonary arteries were higher than those in the patients with thrombi in more distal pulmonary arterial branches. CONCLUSION: Significant associations of proximally localized thrombi with immobilization, the D-dimer levels, and the red blood cell distribution width were observed.

Assessments of the associations of thrombus localization with accompanying disorders, risk factors, D-dimer levels, and the red cell distribution width in pulmonary embolism

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary embolisms occur as a wide spectrum ranging from clinically asymptomatic thrombi to massive thrombi that lead to cardiogenic shock. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations of thrombus localization with risk factors, accompanying disorders, D-dimer levels and the red blood cell distribution width in patients with pulmonary embolism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 148 patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism, the presence and anatomical localization of the thrombus were assessed via computed tomographic pulmonary angiography. The accompanying disorders, risk factors, serum D-dimer levels, and red blood cell distribution width of the patients were retrospectively evaluated. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02388841. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 54±16.0 years, and 48 patients were ≥65 years of age. The most frequent accompanying disorders were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (22%) and malignancy (10.1%), and the most frequent risk factors were recent operation (14.1%) and immobilization (18.2%). Thrombi were most frequently observed in the right pulmonary artery (37.8%). In 31% of the patients, the thrombus was localized to the main pulmonary arteries. Immobile patients exhibited a higher proportion of thrombi in the main pulmonary arteries than mobile patients. The mean D-dimer level and the mean red blood cell distribution width in the patients with thrombi in the main pulmonary arteries were higher than those in the patients with thrombi in more distal pulmonary arterial branches. CONCLUSION: Significant associations of proximally localized thrombi with immobilization, the D-dimer levels, and the red blood cell distribution width were observed. .

An overlooked cause of resistant hypertension: upper airway resistance syndrome - preliminary results.

OBJECTIVE: Upper airway resistance syndrome is a sleep-disordered breathing syndrome that is characterized by repetitive arousals resulting in sympathetic overactivity. We aimed to determine whether upper airway resistance syndrome was associated with poorly controlled hypertension. METHODS: A total of 40 patients with resistant hypertension were enrolled in the study. All of the patients underwent polysomnographic examinations and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to exclude white coat syndrome and to monitor treatment efficiency. Among 14 upper airway resistance syndrome patients, 2 patients had surgically correctable upper airway pathologies, while 12 patients were given positive airway pressure therapy. RESULTS: All patients underwent polysomnographic examinations; 22 patients (55%) were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and 14 patients (35%) were diagnosed with upper airway resistance syndrome, according to American Sleep Disorders Association criteria. The patients with upper airway resistance syndrome were younger and had a lower body mass index compared with other patients, while there were no difference between the blood pressure levels and the number of antihypertensive drugs. The arousal index was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure level (p=0.034; rs=0.746), while the Epworth score and AHI were independent of disease severity (p=0.435, rs=0.323 and p=0.819, rs=-0.097, respectively). Eight patients were treated with positive airway pressure treatment and blood pressure control was achieved in all of them, whereas no pressure reduction was observed in four untreated patients. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that upper airway resistance syndrome is a possible secondary cause of resistant hypertension and that its proper treatment could result in dramatic blood pressure control.

An overlooked cause of resistant hypertension: upper airway resistance syndrome - preliminary results

OBJECTIVE: Upper airway resistance syndrome is a sleep-disordered breathing syndrome that is characterized by repetitive arousals resulting in sympathetic overactivity. We aimed to determine whether upper airway resistance syndrome was associated with poorly controlled hypertension. METHODS: A total of 40 patients with resistant hypertension were enrolled in the study. All of the patients underwent polysomnographic examinations and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to exclude white coat syndrome and to monitor treatment efficiency. Among 14 upper airway resistance syndrome patients, 2 patients had surgically correctable upper airway pathologies, while 12 patients were given positive airway pressure therapy. RESULTS: All patients underwent polysomnographic examinations; 22 patients (55%) were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and 14 patients (35%) were diagnosed with upper airway resistance syndrome, according to American Sleep Disorders Association criteria. The patients with upper airway resistance syndrome were younger and had a lower body mass index compared with other patients, while there were no difference between the blood pressure levels and the number of antihypertensive drugs. The arousal index was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure level (p = 0.034; rs = 0.746), while the Epworth score and AHI were independent of disease severity (p = 0.435, rs = 0.323 and p = 0.819, rs = -0.097, respectively). Eight patients were treated with positive airway pressure treatment and blood pressure control was achieved in all of them, whereas no pressure reduction was observed in four untreated patients. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that upper airway resistance syndrome is a possible secondary cause of resistant hypertension and that its proper treatment could result in dramatic blood pressure control. .