Imaging of pulmonary cryptococcosis with consolidations or diffuse infiltrates suggests longer clinical treatment in non-HIV patients.

Abstract

This article was to summarize the clinical features and treatment course in patients with pulmonary cryptococcal infections with different imaging manifestations and to analyse the relevant factors. Categorical variables are described in this paper as percentages, and continuous variables are expressed as medians and quartiles or means and standard deviations. Factors associated with prolonged treatment of pulmonary cryptococcosis with different imaging manifestations were estimated via multivariable analyses with the Cox proportional hazards model. A total of 238 patients were analysed. A significant proportion of patients with diabetes mellitus constituted 18% to 25% of patients with multiple nodules and diffuse infiltrates (p = 0.026). The serum antigen level was markedly elevated in patients with diffuse infiltrates and consolidation (p < 0.001). A significant proportion of patients who presented with solitary nodules were initially diagnosed through thoracic surgery conducted to remove the lesion (p < 0.001). The treatment duration for patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis presenting as single or multiple nodules on imaging was shorter than the traditionally considered 6 months (p < 0.001). Imaging revealed that pulmonary cryptococcosis most commonly involved the right lower lung. Serum antigen assays, the number of infectious lobes, the presence of extrapulmonary lesions and the presence of lesions in the lower right lobe were suggested to be predictive indicators for a longer treatment duration. There was no significant difference in the percentage of patients who used amphotericin B or amphotericin B liposomes among patients with the four different types of imaging presentations.