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Previous corticosteroid exposure associates with an increased Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia mortality among HIV-negative patients: a global research network with a follow-up multicenter case-control study

Lilian Vargas Barahona, Kyle C. Molina, Laura C. Pedraza-Arévalo, S. Sillau, A. Tagawa, S. Scherger, D. Chastain, L. Shapiro et al.

Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease, 2023

8,021 participants · 17 citations

Abstract

Background: HIV-negative patients have substantial mortality from Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). We lack predictors of HIV-negative PJP-associated mortality. Objective: We aim to characterize the role of prior corticosteroid exposure in PJP-related mortality. Methods: We queried a global research network to identify adult HIV-negative patients with PJP with or without corticosteroid exposure in the preceding year before diagnosis (n = 8,021). We performed a propensity score-matched analysis to adjust baseline patient characteristics and analyzed outcomes. We follow-up the results with a multicenter ten years retrospective case-control cohort of HIV-negative patients tested for PJP by PCP Direct Fluorescent Antigen. We used a Cox proportional hazards model for survival analysis. Results: 1822 HIV-negative propensity-scored matched patients with prior corticosteroid exposure had significantly increased 10 weeks (16% versus 9%, p < 0.0001) and one-year mortality after PJP diagnosis (23% versus 14%, p < 0.0001). (1→3)-β-D-glucan (197.6 ± 155.8 versus 63 ± 0 pg/ml, p = 0.014), ferritin levels (1227 ± 2486 versus 768 ± 1060 mcg/l, p = 0.047), lymphopenia (1.5 ± 1.5 versus 2.0 ± 1.6 103 cells/µl, p < 0.0001) and hypoxia (SatO2: 86.7% versus 91.6%, p < 0.0001) were higher or worse in those with prior steroid use. Patients who died were more likely to have previously received dexamethasone (35% versus 16%, p < 0.001) or prednisone (49% versus 29%, p < 0.001). Adjusted Cox…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 8,021 participants or records.

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