Article Text
Summary
Patients with pneumocystis pneumonia have a risk of progressing to acute respiratory failure necessitating admission to intensive care. The case described is of a patient with a newly diagnosed HIV infection presenting with pneumocystis pneumonia. Despite initiating the appropriate pharmacological treatment the patient’s clinical condition deteriorated, and required both rescue pharmacological therapy with echinocandins as well as respiratory support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy. The patient recovered well on ventilator and circulatory support despite a long weaning process complicated by sequelae common to pneumocystis pneumonia. Following initialisation of antiretroviral therapy and step-down from an intensive care setting, the patient required further prolonged hospital stay for rehabilitation and mental health support before being discharged. This case reviews the novel pharmacological therapies and respiratory support strategies used in cases of pneumocystis pneumonia, including the clinical and psychological sequelae that may follow.
- HIV/AIDS
- adult intensive care
- mechanical ventilation
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Footnotes
Contributors NL conceptualised the project, initiated and completed data collection, drafted initial and final versions of manuscripts, and provided final input to accepted version. DL and BP contributed patient data and provided input to the initial and final manuscripts. SL provided patient data, acquired patient consent for publication, and contributed to the initial and final manuscripts.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent Obtained.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.