Objectives: To investigate the clinical features and prognosis of nocardiosis complicated by connective tissue diseases (CTDs).
Methods: We examined patients with CTDs who were diagnosed with nocardiosis from October 2004 to 2019. We retrospectively investigated patient characteristics and therapeutic outcomes. We then performed a comparison between survivors and non-survivors.
Results: Fourteen patients were examined. Underlying CTDs were systemic lupus erythematosus (28.6%), vasculitis syndrome (28.6%), rheumatoid arthritis (21.4%), adult Still disease (14.3%) and dermatomyositis (7.1%). Infected organs were lung (85.7%), brain (42.9%), skin/cutaneous lesions (28.6%) and muscle (7.1%). Disseminated infections were seen in nine patients (64.3%). At the onset of nocardiosis, all patients were given prednisolone (23.2 ± 11.9 mg/day). Only two patients (14.3%) were given TMP-SMX for prophylaxis of pneumocystis pneumonia. Relapse occurred in one patient (7.1%) and four patients (28.6%) died from nocardiosis for a cumulative survival rate at 52 weeks of 76.9%. In a comparison of survivors (71.4%) and non-survivors (28.6%), cutaneous lesions were significantly more frequent in the latter (10 vs 75%, = .04) with an odds ratio of 27.0 (95% CI: 1.7-453.4).
Conclusion: Cutaneous lesions as a result of dissemination might be a risk factor for nocardiosis mortality in patients with CTDs.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14397595.2020.1823070 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Automated Classification of Cardiac Arrhythmia using Short-Duration ECG Signals and Machine Learning.
Biomed Phys Eng Express
January 2025
Electronics and Communication Engineering, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, ITANAGAR, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, 791112, INDIA.
Accurate detection of cardiac arrhythmias is crucial for preventing premature deaths. The current study employs a dual-stage Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and a median filter to eliminate noise from ECG signals. Subsequently, ECG signals are segmented, and QRS regions are extracted for further preprocessing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCall to Improve Coding of Cancer-Associated Cachexia.
JCO Oncol Pract
January 2025
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY.
Cachexia is a systemic wasting syndrome prevalent in patients with cancer that significantly affects quality of life, health care costs, and therapeutic outcomes. Despite its clinical importance, cachexia is rarely formally diagnosed. This deficiency presents a challenge for effective patient management and care, health care resource allocation, and the advancement of therapeutic approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPathophysiological Significance of α-Synuclein in Sympathetic Nerves: In Vivo Observations.
Neurology
February 2025
From the Autonomic Medicine Section, Clinical Neurosciences Program, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD.
Background And Objectives: Lewy body diseases (LBDs) such as Parkinson disease (PD) feature increased deposition of α-synuclein (α-syn) in cutaneous sympathetic noradrenergic nerves. The pathophysiologic significance of sympathetic intraneuronal α-syn is unclear. We reviewed data about immunoreactive α-syn, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, a marker of catecholaminergic fibers), and the sympathetic neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) in skin biopsies from control participants and patients with PD, the related LBD pure autonomic failure (PAF), the non-LBD synucleinopathy multiple system atrophy (MSA), or neurologic postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (neuro-PASC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrain metastasis (BM) is a poor prognostic factor in cancer patients. Despite showing efficacy in many extracranial tumors, immunotherapy with anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) or anti-CTLA-4 mAb appears to be less effective against intracranial tumors. Promisingly, recent clinical studies have reported that combination therapy with anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 mAbs has a potent antitumor effect on BM, highlighting the need to elucidate the detailed mechanisms controlling the intracranial tumor microenvironment (TME) to develop effective immunotherapeutic strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effect of an additional pre-extubational loading dose of caffeine citrate on mechanically ventilated preterm infants (NEOKOFF trial): Study protocol for a multicenter randomized clinical trial.
PLoS One
January 2025
Centre for Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Background: Minimizing the duration of mechanical ventilation is one of the most important therapeutic goals during the care of preterm infants at neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The rate of extubation failure among preterm infants is between 16% and 40% worldwide. Numerous studies have been conducted on the assessment of extubation suitability, the optimal choice of respiratory support around extubation, and the effectiveness of medical interventions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!