Cytomegalovirus infection in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis

Pulmonary cytomegalovirus infection: A case report and systematic review

BACKGROUND

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that can cause the first infection in childhood or adolescence and reactivate later in life due to immunosuppression. CMV pneumonia is a rare illness in immunocompetent patients but is one of the most significant opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients.

AIM

To report a case and review published cases of pulmonary CMV infection in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search on the MEDLINE (PubMed) database, without date or language restrictions, to identify relevant studies using Medical Subject Headings and Health Science Descriptors. We manually searched the reference lists of the included studies. Simple descriptive analysis was used to summarize the results.

RESULTS

Our search identified 445 references, and after screening, 43 studies reporting 45 cases were included in the final analysis, with 29 (64%) patients being immunocompromised and 16 (36%) being immunocompetent. Fever (82%) and dyspnea (75%) were the most common clinical findings. Thoracic computed tomography showed bilateral ground-glass opacities, a relevant differential diagnosis for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. The majority of patients (85%) received antiviral therapy, and 89% of patients recovered, while 9% of patients died.

CONCLUSION

CMV pneumonia should be considered as a differential diagnosis for coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia, especially in immunocompromised patients. Clinicians should be aware of the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of CMV pneumonia to guide appropriate treatment decisions.

Intestinal perforation due to concomitant cytomegalovirus infection during treatment for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis

A 78-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate and corticosteroid was admitted to our hospital for dry cough and dyspnea. She was diagnosed as having Pneumocystis pneumonia based on elevated beta-D-glucan and positive PCR analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for Pneumocystis jirovecii. We started trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and high-dose corticosteroid therapy. Her pulmonary lesions gradually improved; however, she developed perforation of the ileum and subsequently died from sepsis. Histology of the perforated site was compatible with cytomegalovirus enterocolitis.