RT Journal Article
T1 Pneumocystis jirovecii in Spanish Patients With Heart Failure.
A1 Merino-Casallo, Izarbe
A1 Friaza, Vicente
A1 Menao, Sebastián
A1 Domingo, José María
A1 Olivera, Susana
A1 Calderón, Enrique J
A1 Torralba, Miguel Ángel
K1 Pneumocystis
K1 Spain
K1 epidemiology
K1 general population
K1 heart failure
K1 pathophysiology
AB Objective:Pneumocystis colonization is frequent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) producing local and systemic inflammation. Heart failure is also a common comorbidity among patients with COPD. Heart failure is a chronic, frequent, and disabling condition with high morbidity and mortality, but with a modifiable course where endothelial dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension have great importance. Animal models have shown that Pneumocystis infection can cause relevant functionally changes in vascular responses in the lung, promoting the development of pulmonary hypertension. Pneumocystis colonization could be a hidden cause of worsening heart failure through it capacity to induce inflammatory response with subsequent endothelial dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Pneumocystis jirovecii colonization in heart failure patients and its possible association with reduced or preserved ejection fraction. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out including 36 heart failure patients and 36 control cases. Identification of P. jirovecii colonization was performed by means of molecular techniques in oropharyngeal washing. Results:Pneumocystis-DNA was identified in oropharyngeal washing in 1 (2.7%) of 36 heart failure patients and in 3 (8.3%) of 36 controls. Conclusions:Pneumocystis colonization does not seem to have a role in the pathophysiology of heart failure.
SN 2296-2565
YR 2019
FD 2019-10-09
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10668/27399
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10668/27399
LA en
DS RISalud
RD Apr 7, 2025