Risk for Pneumothorax in AIDS
Authors: Donald W. Northfelt, Sharon Safrin
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1991)

Letters15 July 1991Risk for Pneumothorax in AIDSDonald W. Northfelt, MD, Sharon Safrin, MDDonald W. Northfelt, MDSearch for more papers by this author, Sharon Safrin, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-115-2-156 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the Editors: Sepkowitz and colleagues (1) show that the use of aerosolized pentamidine is a strong independent risk factor for the development of pneumothorax (crude relative risk, 17.6) in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). They also show that pneumothorax is associated with both mortality (4 deaths among their 20 patients) and morbidity (prolonged hospitalization, bacterial superinfection, and thoracotomy). In addition, their findings suggest that failure of aerosolized pentamidine prophylaxis, with resultant acute Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, is associated with the occurrence of pneumothorax.Despite these findings, the authors make the statement in the abstract that "the benefits of...References1. Sepkowitz K, Telzak E, and Gold J. Pneumothorax in AIDS. Ann Intern Med. 1991;114:455-9. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Metroka C, Braun N, Josefsberg H, and Jacobus D. Successful chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia with dapsone in patients with AIDS and ARC. Abstract 7157. In: Book 1 Abstracts, IV International Conference on AIDS, Stockholm, Sweden; 1988: 417. Google Scholar3. Fischl M, Dickinson G, and LaVoie L. Safety and efficacy of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS. JAMA. 1988;259:1185-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Leoung G, Feigal D, and Montgomery A. Aerosolized pentamidine for prophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. N Engl J Med. 1990;323:769-75. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Northfelt D, Clement M, and Safrin S. Extrapulmonary pneumocystosis: clinical features in human immunodeficiency virus infection. Medicine (Baltimore). 1990;69:392-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar1. Leoung G, Fiegal D, and Montgomery A. Aerosolized pentamidine for prophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. N Engl J Med. 1990;323:769-75. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Murphy R, Lavelle J, and Allan J. Aerosol pentamidine prophylaxis following Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS patients: results of a blinded dose-comparison study using an ultrasonic nebulizer. Am J Med. 1991;90:418-26. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Fischl M, Dickinson G, and LaVoie L. Safety and efficacy of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS. JAMA. 1988;259:1185-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Wormser G, Horowitz H, and Duncanson F. Low-dose intermittent trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. Arch Intern Med. 1991;151:688-92. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Metroka C, Jacobus D, and Lewis N. Successful chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis with dapsone or bactrim. Fifth International Conference on AIDS, Montreal, 1989. Abstract T.B.4. Google Scholar1. Sepkowitz K, Telzak E, and Gold J. Pneumothorax in AIDS. Ann Intern Med. 1991;114:455-9. LinkGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Donald W. Northfelt, MD; Sharon Safrin, MDAffiliations: San Francisco General Hospital San Francisco, CA 94110 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byAerosolized Pentamidine Prophylaxis 15 July 1991Volume 115, Issue 2 Page: 156-157 Keywords AIDS Hospitalizations Medical risk factors Morbidity Mortality Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia Prophylaxis Relative risk Superinfections Thoracotomy ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 15 July 1991 PDF downloadLoading ...