[The clinical features of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in 53 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), so as to provide evidence for early diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made upon clinical data, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of 53 patients with IPA and COPD admitted between January 2005 and February 2011 collected in a respiratory unit of the Second Xiangya Hospital Affiliated Central South University.

RESULTS: There were 53 cases of diagnosed as IPA with COPD, with history of using broad-spectrum antibiotics. And there were 43 cases using steroids more than 2 weeks, 51 with obvious breathlessness, and 20 with fever. Early stage didn't present characteristical changes on CT scan. However, after disease progression, 32 cases had maculas shadows and nonspecific consolidations in bilateral lung, 14 with solitary or multiple nodules, 4 with solitary or multiple air crescent sign, and 2 with halo sign. Four patients of COPD with IPA underwent bronchoscopy examination. In fungi pathogeny, sputum positive rate and galactomannan positive rate were 56.6% and 52.8%, respectively. A total of 53 cases received antifungal treatment. Among 37 cases which underwent mechanical ventilation, 24 received noninvasive ventilation and 13 received invasive ventilation. There were 33 cases which were improved and cured, and 20 cases which had no relief after half-a-month treatment or withdrew treatment. Among them, 13 cases died because of multiple-organ failure (5/15) or acute renal failure (8/15).

CONCLUSIONS: Early suspected diagnosis, timely examination in allusion to IPA, actively searching for etiological and imaging evidences, early established diagnosis and antifungal treatment would improve prognosis of patients with COPD combined IPA who have history of high doses of corticosteroids, obvious breathlessness and non-response to antibiotics.