Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related pulmonary complications in pregnancy

Cryptococcosis in pregnancy and the postpartum period: Case series and systematic review with recommendations for management

Cryptococcal meningitis causes 15% of AIDS-related deaths. Optimal management and clinical outcomes of pregnant women with cryptococcosis are limited to case reports, as pregnant women are often excluded from research. Amongst pregnant women with asymptomatic cryptococcosis, no treatment guidelines exist. We prospectively identified HIV-infected women who were pregnant or recently pregnant with cryptococcosis, screened during a series of meningitis research studies in Uganda from 2012 to 2018. Among 571 women screened for cryptococcosis, 13 were pregnant, one was breastfeeding, three were within 14 days postpartum, and two had recently miscarried. Of these 19 women (3.3%), 12 had cryptococcal meningitis, six had cryptococcal antigenemia, and one had a history of cryptococcal meningitis and was receiving secondary prophylaxis. All women with meningitis received amphotericin B deoxycholate (0.7-1.0 mg/kg). Five were exposed to 200-800 mg fluconazole during pregnancy. Of these five, three delivered healthy babies with no gross physical abnormalities at birth, one succumbed to meningitis, and one outcome was unknown. Maternal meningitis survival rate at hospital discharge was 75% (9/12), and neonatal/fetal survival rate was 44% (4/9) for those mothers who survived. Miscarriages and stillbirths were common (n = 4). Of six women with cryptococcal antigenemia, two received fluconazole, one received weekly amphotericin B, and three had unknown treatment courses. All women with antigenemia survived, and none developed clinical meningitis. We report good maternal outcomes but poor fetal outcomes for cryptococcal meningitis using amphotericin B, without fluconazole in the first trimester, and weekly amphotericin B in place of fluconazole for cryptococcal antigenemia.

Symptom screen: diagnostic usefulness in detecting pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected pregnant women in Kenya

OBJECTIVE

To determine the diagnostic usefulness of tuberculosis (TB) symptom screening to detect active pulmonary TB among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected pregnant women in two PMTCT (prevention of mother-to-child transmission) clinics in western Kenya that are supported by the United States Agency for International Development-Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare partnership.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study. Participants were interviewed for TB symptoms with a standardized questionnaire (cough >2 weeks, fever, night sweats, weight loss or failure to gain weight). Those with cough submitted sputum specimens for smear microscopy for acid-fast bacilli and mycobacterial culture. Women at >14 weeks gestation underwent shielded chest radiography (CXR).

RESULTS

Of 187 HIV-infected women, 38 (20%) were symptom screen-positive. Of these, 21 had a cough for >2 weeks, but all had negative sputum smears and mycobacterial cultures. CXRs were performed in 26 symptomatic women: three were suggestive of TB (1 miliary, 1 infiltrates and 1 cavitary). Of 149 women with a negative symptom screen, 100 had a CXR and seven had a CXR suggestive of TB (1 cavitary, 2 miliary and 4 infiltrates).

CONCLUSION

This study did not support the utility of isolated symptom screening in identification of TB disease in our PMTCT setting. CXR was useful in identification of TB suspects in both symptomatic and asymptomatic women.

HIV in pregnancy: a case of Pneumocystis (carinii) jiroveci pneumonia

This review highlights the rising prevalence of HIV in pregnancy both in the developed and developing world. It focuses on the challenges of diagnosis and management of Pneumocystis (carinii) jiroveci pneumonia in an HIV-positive pregnant woman. Public health efforts need to continue addressing testing at the earliest opportunity, the psychosocial issues which impact negatively on the care of HIV-positive individuals and ways to reduce stigmatisation associated with this viral illness.

AIDS in pregnancy, part I: epidemiology, testing, effect on disease progression, opportunistic infections, and risk of vertical transmission

Contribution of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to pregnancy mortality rates is difficult to estimate; however, it appears to be one of the leading causes of death, at least in developing countries. Prenatal HIV testing affords the best opportunity for the prevention of perinatal HIV transmission. Rapid HIV testing substantially increases the proportion of women who obtain HIV results compared with conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay testing, thus maximizing perinatal HIV interventions. Pregnancy appears to have no effect on the course of HIV disease. Infections due to a variety of pathogens influence the clinical course of the HIV infection and may complicate pregnancy and increase maternal mortality. The main risk factors for mother-to-child HIV transmission are high maternal viral load and CD4 cell count <700 cells/mm3. The main protective factor is antiretroviral therapy.

HIV/AIDS: impact on maternal mortality at the Johannesburg Hospital, South Africa, 1995-2001

This study investigated maternal mortality at the Johannesburg Hospital, a 1100-bed academic hospital in South Africa. Patient records were assessed retrospectively over two time periods: 1995/1996 and 2000/2001. Causes of death were noted and compared with national data. The two time periods were compared to identify disease patterns and the role of anaesthesia in maternal mortality. The maternal mortality ratios were respectively 183 and 354 per 100000 live births respectively. Hypertension in pregnancy was the leading cause of mortality in 1995/1996, accounting for 10 out of the 20 deaths, but was the second most common cause in 2000/2001 (6 out of 35). HIV/AIDS-associated disease was the leading cause of mortality in 2000/2001 (42.7%, increasing from 20% in 1995/1996) with pneumonia the commonest cause of death. The statistics at this hospital were consistent with the national trend of an increasing association with HIV/AIDS. No deaths were found to be directly attributable to anaesthesia in either of the time periods. There is a need for clearer documentation of HIV status in pregnancy and antiretroviral intervention strategies must be considered.

Pulmonary complications of pregnancy

Pregnancy induces significant physiologic stresses on the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems that may precipitate respiratory compromise. In addition, certain disease states that are unique to the pregnant woman, such as amniotic fluid emboli syndrome, may be associated with respiratory failure. The physiologic changes that affect the pregnant woman are reviewed. Pregnancy-related conditions are discussed as well as how common diseases, such as the acute respiratory distress syndrome, asthma, pneumonia, and AIDS,have to be approached when balancing the needs of the fetus with maternal well-being.

Treatment of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections during pregnancy

The incidence of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in women of child-bearing age is approximately 64 per 1000 population. The spectrum of illness ranges from acute bronchitis, which is very common, through influenza virus infection and exacerbations of underlying lung disease, to pneumonia, which, fortunately is uncommon (<1.5% LRTI), but can be severe.

Acute bronchitis is generally mild, self-limiting and usually does not require antibacterial therapy. Influenza virus infection in pregnant women has been recently related to increased hospitalization for acute cardiorespiratory conditions. At present, the safety of the newer neuraminidase inhibitors for the treatment of influenza virus infection has not been established in pregnancy and they are not routinely recommended. In influenza virus infection complicated by pneumonia, antibacterial agents active against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae superinfection should be used.

There are few data on infective complications of asthma or COPD in pregnancy. The latter is rare, as patients with COPD are usually male and aged over 45 years. Management is the same as for nonpregnant patients.

The incidence and mortality of pneumonia in pregnancy is similar to that in nonpregnant patients. Infants born to pregnant patients with pneumonia have been found to be born earlier and weigh less than controls. Risk factors for the development of pneumonia include anemia, asthma and use of antepartum corticosteroids and tocolytic agents. Based on the few available studies, the main pathogens causing pneumonia are S. pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and viruses. β-Lactam and macrolide antibiotics therefore remain the antibiotics of choice in terms of both pathogen coverage and safety in pregnancy. In HIV-infected pregnant patients, recurrent bacterial pneumonia, but not Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), is more common than in nonpregnant patients. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (cotrimoxazole) has not definitely been associated with adverse clinical outcomes despite theoretical risks. Currently it is still the treatment of choice in PCP, where mortality remains high.

In conclusion, there are few data specifically related to pregnant women with different types of LRTI. Where data are available, no significant differences compared with nonpregnant patients have been identified. In considering the use of any therapeutic agent or investigation in pregnant patients with LRTI, safety aspects must be carefully weighed against potential benefit. Otherwise, management strategies should not differ from those for nonpregnant patients. Further research in this area is warranted.

HIV infection in critically ill obstetrical patients

OBJECTIVES

The effect of HIV-infection on the clinical course of critically ill obstetrical patients by means of a case-control study was evaluated.

METHODS

Over one calendar year 440 patients were admitted to a high risk obstetrical unit. All patients were tested for HIV-infection. HIV-positive patients were included in the study group and two HIV-negative patients for every HIV-positive patient were included in the control group.

RESULTS

No differences were found between the two groups regarding demographic data, diagnosis, antibiotic use, mode of delivery, duration of hospital stay and mortality. More complications occurred in the HIV-negative group. Eclampsia recorded for the HIV-negative group was 17.1% and 4.7% for the HIV-positive group (P=0.04; 95% CI: -17.1%; -0.9%) and lung edema was 18.2% and 6.2%, respectively (P=0.01; 95% CI: -19.3%; -3.5%). The median CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly lower in the HIV-positive group (0.43) than the HIV-negative group (1.37) (P<0.01; 95% CI: -1.04; -0.79).

CONCLUSIONS

HIV-infection did not significantly alter the clinical course of critically ill patients in an obstetrical high care unit.

Mothers infected with HIV

The HIV/AIDS epidemic intersects with the problem of maternal mortality in many circumstances. The extent of the contribution of HIV/AIDS to maternal mortality is difficult to quantify, as the HIV status of pregnant women is not always known. HIV infection and AIDS-related deaths have become one of the major causes of maternal mortality in many resource-poor settings. HIV impacts on direct (obstetrical) causes of maternal mortality by an associated increase in pregnancy complications such as anaemia, post-partum haemorrhage and puerperal sepsis. HIV is also a major indirect cause of maternal mortality by an increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, tuberculosis and malaria. Appropriate antiretroviral therapy started in pregnancy could reverse the toll of HIV-related maternal mortality. Without such efforts and increased HIV prevention, the gains achieved by safe motherhood programmes will be lost in the future.

Respiratory complications of pregnancy

The pregnant woman is susceptible to a variety of respiratory complications. When a pregnant patient presents with an abnormal chest x-ray or a pulmonary complaint, an understanding of the pathophysiology of pregnancy will guide the clinician in establishing a diagnosis. Pregnancy brings about many changes to a woman's body. One of the more intriguing is a decrease in the T helper cells, resulting in a state of relative immunosuppression. Despite this, the prevalence of infectious pneumonia is not increased in pregnancy. Complications from pneumonia, however, are increased in the pregnant host. Most notably are increases in both mortality related to influenza infection and the risk for dissemination of coccidioidomycosis. Other physiologic changes predispose the pregnant woman to certain disease processes. Hypercoagulability associated with pregnancy results in a marked increase in the incidence of thromboembolic disease. Although rare, pregnancy is also associated with other embolic phenomena including amniotic fluid embolism, air embolism, and trophoblastic embolism. Because of the increases in intravascular volume and cardiac output that occur in pregnancy, women with underlying structural heart disease will frequently present for the first time or have an exacerbation of their disease. This is especially true of mitral stenosis. Peripartum cardiomyopathy also can occur, and for the majority of patients, the heart remains damaged for life. Finally, although uncommon, lymphangioleiomyomatosis will often present or become exacerbated during pregnancy. Patients with this disorder need to be counseled concerning the increased risk associated with pregnancy. This paper reviews the various respiratory complications associated with pregnancy.

Use of antifungal drugs in pregnancy: a focus on safety

The use of antifungals in pregnancy requires special consideration for the safety of the developing fetus. Clinicians now have an increased repertoire of both topical and systemic antimycotics available to treat superficial or mucotaneous fungal infections including Candida vaginitis. The ability of many nontopical antifungals to penetrate the placenta and achieve measurable, often therapeutic, concentrations in cord blood, fetal tissue and amniotic fluid means that evidence exists of successful treatment of all varieties of systemic fungal disease in pregnant women, even with placental involvement. However, for the same reasons, safety considerations remain a concern. Although the use of azoles as topical agents for superficial infections is both efficacious and well tolerated, especially when used for short periods, systemic azole therapy is not recommended in pregnancy. Accordingly, amphotericin B remains the drug of choice for systemic, invasive mycotic infections, whether life-threatening or less severe. Unfortunately little if any information is available regarding the safety of the newer lipid formulations of amphotericin B. There is a general reluctance to perform randomised, comparative studies involving antifungal agents in pregnancy, hence cumulative anecdotal reports form much of the available data; animal studies, although useful, have several drawbacks. There is a need for additional safe and effective new antifungal agents for widespread use in pregnant women.