Tirado-Sánchez A, Bonifaz A, Frías De León MG. Factors Associated with Candidiasis in Pemphigus Vulgaris Patients: Results from a Retrospective Study in Two Second-Care Level Hospitals in Mexico.
Trop Med Infect Dis 2023;
8:521. [PMID:
38133453 PMCID:
PMC10748257 DOI:
10.3390/tropicalmed8120521]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV). One of the most common infections in these patients is candidiasis. This is probably due to the use of systemic immunosuppressants, including oral and intravenous corticosteroids, mainly in megadoses (pulse therapy), although it is unknown if there are other associated factors, in addition to immunosuppressive treatment. We determine the factors associated with candidiasis in PV patients in two second-care level hospitals in Mexico.
METHODS
We reviewed 100 cases with PV. Cases were randomly selected from the databases of two second-care level hospitals between January 2010 and December 2019 (10 years). The primary endpoint was the incidence of candidiasis in patients with PV.
RESULTS
One hundred patients with PV were enrolled in this retrospective study. Candidiasis was observed in 79 patients (79%). A maximum corticosteroid dose of 55 mg/day during the last year (p = 0.001) and a higher neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were associated with candidiasis in patients with PV (p = 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Risk factors favoring candidiasis in patients with PV are not only related to the use of corticosteroids, but also to demographic factors, the activity of the disease, and the systemic inflammation associated with autoimmunity.
Collapse