Exames para avaliar a sensibilização ao aspergillus fumigatus em fibrose cística / Tests to assess sensitization to aspergillus fumigatus in cystic fibrosis

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar os resultados dos exames utilizados para identificar a sensibilização IgE-mediada ao Aspergillus fumigatus em pacientes com fibrose cística. Métodos: Estudo transversal descritivo com amostra de conveniência de 86 pacientes com fibrose cística, acompanhados em Serviço de Referência de Fibrose Cística de hospital universitário terciário. Realizaram-se exames para avaliar sensibilização ao A. fumigatus em pacientes com fibrose cística: IgE sérica total, contagem de eosinófilos sanguíneos, identificação do fungo por swab de orofaringe ou por cultura de escarro, IgE sérica específica e testes cutâneos de hipersensibilidade imediata. Foram comparados os resultados dos diferentes exames realizados. Resultados: Em 33 (38,4%) pacientes com fibrose cística, com faixa etária de 1 a 33 anos (mediana de 8 anos), os resultados dos exames sobre sensibilização IgE mediada ao A. fumigatus foram: em 16 pacientes, aumento de IgE sérica específica (>0,35 kU/L); em 23, positividade aos testes cutâneos; e seis mostraram sensibilização a partir dos dois exames. Foram observados dois pacientes com eosinofilia (>1.000 eosinófilos/mm3) e sete com aumento de IgE sérica total (>1.000 UI/mL), sem que esses apresentassem positividade aos testes cutâneos ou aumento de IgE específica ao A. fumigatus. Em nenhum paciente foi isolado A. fumigatus no swab de orofaringe e/ou na cultura de escarro. Conclusões: Concluímos que, entre os exames para avaliar a sensibilização ao A. fumigatus na fibrose cística, são necessários os teste cutâneos de hipersensibilidade imediata e a dosagem de IgE sérica específica ao A. fumigatus. A eosinofilia sérica e a cultura de secreções respiratórias não foram essenciais neste estudo.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the results of the tests used to identify the IgE mediated sensitization to Aspergillus fumigatus in patients with cystic fibrosis. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study with a convenience sample of 86 patients diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in the Reference Service in Cystic Fibrosis at a tertiary teaching hospital. The following tests were performed to assess the sensitization to A. fumigatus in patients with cystic fibrosis: Total serum IgE, eosinophil count, fungus detection through oropharyngeal swab or sputum culture, serum-specific IgE, and immediate-type hypersensitivity (IgE) skin tests. We compared the results of the different tests performed. Results: In 33 (38.4%) patients with cystic fibrosis, with ages ranging from 1 to 33 years (median of 8 years), the IgE-mediated A. fumigatus sensitization test results were: in 16 patients, there was an increase in serum-specific IgE (>0.35 kU/L); in 23, skin tests were positive; and six had sensitization in both tests. We observed two patients with eosinophilia (>1,000 eosinophils/mm3) and seven with increasing total serum IgE (>1,000 IU/mL), all of whom obtained negative results in skin tests and had no IgE increase specific to A. fumigatus. A. fumigatus was not detected in oropharyngeal swabs and/or sputum culture of any patients. Conclusions: We conclude that, among the tests used to assess sensitization to A. fumigatus in cystic fibrosis patients, both serum-specific IgE and immediate-type hypersensitivity (IgE) skin tests are required. Serum eosinophilia and respiratory secretion culture were not essential in this study.

Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis: An Occult Disease Waiting To Be Explored- Case Report And Review Of Literature.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a slowly progressive disease caused by hypersensitivity to Aspergillus fumigatus. This condition is most commonly seen in patients with asthma and cystic fibrosis. ABPA mimics a wide range of diseases, thereby further accentuating the difficulties faced by medical practitioners in diagnosing this condition. Even today, this condition remains under diagnosed in many countries with reports of mean diagnostic latency of ten years between the occurrence of symptoms and the diagnosis. We present a case report and review of literature with the aim of highlighting the complicated nature of this enigmatic illness.

Pulmonary Aspergillosis / 대한의진균학회지

Aspergillus is a ubiquitous fungus which is found in soil, composed piles, and even in the air. It causes various clinical syndromes, which are mainly determined by the immunocompetence of host; simple colonization in normal person, aspergilloma in patients with lung cavities (e.g. after tuberculosis), chronic necrotizing pneumonia in mildly immunocompromised hosts (e.g. DM or alcoholics) or those who have chronic lung diseases, invasive aspergillosis which is severe and commonly fatal in immunocompromised patients. It may cause hypersensitivity reaction; IgE-mediated asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis), allergic Aspergillus sinusitis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). It is essential for clinicians to be familiar with the spectrum of Aspergillus-related clinical syndromes. After a brief review of each clinical syndrome, ABPA that is a typical allergic disease was reviewed in detail.