RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Pulmonary Zygomycosis in a Non-neutropenic Patient With Myelodysplastic Syndrome on Lenalidomide
JF Respiratory Care
FD American Association for Respiratory Care
SP 1175
OP 1177
DO 10.4187/respcare.01346
VO 57
IS 7
A1 Jesse Theisen-Toupal
A1 Elana S Rosenthal
A1 Emer Kelly
A1 Jeffrey I Zwicker
A1 Praveen Akuthota
A1 David H Roberts
YR 2012
UL http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/57/7/1175.abstract
AB Pulmonary zygomycosis is an uncommon infection that occurs mostly in immunocompromised patients. We report the case of a 75-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome, treated with lenalidomide for 3 months, who developed respiratory failure and a rapidly progressive left upper lobe consolidation. An extensive workup was unrevealing of the etiology, and the patient expired. A full autopsy was declined, but an in situ post-mortem transbronchial lung biopsy revealed pulmonary zygomycosis. This unique case illustrates the potential risks of lenalidomide therapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and the difficulties in diagnosing pulmonary zygomycosis. To our knowledge this is the first report of a diagnostic in situ post-mortem transbronchial lung biopsy.