TY - JOUR T1 - Serum markers as an aid in the diagnosis of pulmonary fungal infections in AIDS patients JO - The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases T2 - AU - Passos,Ana Isabela Morsch AU - Dertkigil,Rachel Polo AU - Ramos,Marcelo de Carvalho AU - Busso-Lopes,Ariane Fidelis AU - Tararan,Cibele AU - Ribeiro,Erivan Olinda AU - Schreiber,Angélica Zaninelli AU - Trabasso,Plinio AU - Resende,Mariangela Ribeiro AU - Moretti,Maria Luiza SN - 14138670 M3 - 10.1016/j.bjid.2017.07.002 DO - 10.1016/j.bjid.2017.07.002 UR - https://bjid.org.br/en-serum-markers-as-an-aid-articulo-S1413867017302519 AB - IntroductionThe etiology of pulmonary infections in HIV patients is determined by several variables including geographic region and availability of antiretroviral therapy. Materials and methodsA cross-sectional prospective study was conducted from 2012 to 2016 to evaluate the occurrence of pulmonary fungal infection in HIV-patients hospitalized due to pulmonary infections. Patients’ serums were tested for (1–3)-β-D-Glugan, galactomannan, and lactate dehydrogenase. The association among the variables was analyzed by univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Results60 patients were included in the study. The patients were classified in three groups: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (19 patients), community-acquired pneumonia (18 patients), and other infections (23 patients). The overall mortality was 13.3%. The time since diagnosis of HIV infection was shorter in the pneumocystosis group (4.94 years; p=0.001) than for the other two groups of patients. The multivariate analysis showed that higher (1-3)-β-D-Glucan level (mean: 241pg/mL) and lactate dehydrogenase (mean: 762U/L) were associated with the diagnosis of pneumocystosis. Pneumocystosis was the aids-defining illness in 11 out of 16 newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients. ConclusionIn the era of antiretroviral therapy, PJP was still the most prevalent pulmonary infection and (1-3)-β-D-Glucan and lactate dehydrogenase may be suitable markers to help diagnosing pneumocystosis in our HIV population. ER -