Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome following HAART Initiation in an HIV-infected Patient Being Treated for Severe Pneumonia: Case Report and Literature Review

• Main Authors: Dong Won Park, Dae Hyun Lim, Bongyoung Kim, Ji Young Yhi, Ji-Yong Moon, Sang-Heon Kim, Tae-Hyung Kim, Jang Won Shon, Ho Joo Yoon, Dong Ho Shin, Hyunjoo Pai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Society of Critical Care Medicine 2016-05-01
• Series: Korean Journal of Critical Care Medicine
• Subjects: extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; HIV; respiratory failure
• Online Access: http://www.kjccm.org/upload/pdf/kjccm-2016-31-2-162.pdf
• ISSN: 2383-4870; 2383-4889

Pnuemocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is one of leading causes of acute respiratory failure in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and the mortality rate remains high in mechanically ventilated HIV patients with PJP. There are several reported cases who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment for respiratory failure associated with severe PJP in HIV-infected patients. We report a patient who was newly diagnosed with HIV and PJP whose condition worsened after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) initiation and progressed to acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring veno-venous ECMO. The patient recovered from PJP and is undergoing treatment with HAART. ECMO support can be an effective life-saving salvage therapy for acute respiratory failure refractory to mechanical ventilation following HAART in HIV-infected patients with severe PJP.