Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis as a complication of treatment with infliximab, anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha neutralizing antibody

Mod Rheumatol. 2006;16(1):58-62. doi: 10.1007/s10165-005-0454-2.

Abstract

We report that a-63-year-old woman developed Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) as a complication from treatment with infliximab for rheumatoid arthritis. Although there was neither symptoms of dyspnea nor typical observations on a chest X-ray examination, low levels of oxygen saturation and findings of high-resolution chest computed tomographic scanning suggested a possibility of interstitial pneumonia. A polymerase chain reaction-based detection of Pneumocystis jiroveci in induced sputum allowed an early diagnosis of PCP and subsequent effective treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / adverse effects*
  • Antirheumatic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy*
  • Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Infliximab
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumocystis carinii / isolation & purification*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / chemically induced*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / diagnosis
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / therapeutic use
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / immunology

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
  • Infliximab