RESUMO
To study the risk factors for varicella pneumonia [VP] in adults and to predict the early progression to severe pneumonitis in order to establish early therapeutic intervention. Prospective study. Infectious Diseases Hospital. Fifty-two male patients with VP and 52 Varicella patients without pneumonia as control. Beside history taking and routine work-up, all cases were subjected to arterial blood gas analysis, and hypoxemic index [HI] was calculated as an indicator for severity of pneumonia. Arterial blood gas analysis. Occurrence of VP. Univariate analysis revealed significant associations between pulmonary findings, chronic diseases, severe varicella rash and smoking in patients with VP than those without pneumonia [p = 0.001, 0.03, 0.001, 0.03 respectively]. Blood gas analysis showed significantly lower mean values of PaO[2], SaO[2] and hypoxemic index in patients with VP than controls [p = 0.001]. However, the mean PaCO[2] was significantly higher in the same patient group [p = 0.001]. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that older age, clinical pulmonary findings, severe varicella rash, low PaO[2], low HI and FDPs > 1000 were significantly associated with VP. In adult males with VP, presence of HI < 150, generalized radiological pulmonary opacities, FDPs > 1000, low PaO[2] and SaO2% could be considered good predictors of progression to serve VP. These factors should alert the physician for an early intervention as VP is potentially lifethreatening