Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV-infected patients with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia

Paradoxical and Unmasking HIV Immune Reconstitution Inflammation Syndrome in Antiretroviral-Naïve Pregnant Women: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Following antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, HIV-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), indicated by an array of opportunistic infections, may occur, presenting as either paradoxical, a worsening of a previously treated infection, or unmasking, a flare-up of an underlying, previously undiagnosed infection. The impact of ART as the backbone of HIV treatment and prevention has prolonged the survival of people living with HIV. In pregnancy, benefits have been shown by slowing HIV progression and preventing perinatal transmission; however, there have been risks of adverse reactions with ART, including immune responses to both the fetus and mother. This study sought to estimate the incidence of HIV-IRIS cumulatively and by type either paradoxical or unmasking IRIS, determine the baseline maternal and HIV clinical markers as predictors of, and analyze the log-rank test for survival time to IRIS outcome assessed by relying on an increase in CD4 count and/or a rapid decrease in viral load.

METHODS

An active records study was conducted between June 2019 and March 2020 among ART-naïve pregnant women attending the antenatal care units (ANCu) at the Kenyatta National and Mbagathi Hospitals, Nairobi, Kenya. Participants were aged between 20 and 49 years and had a confirmed HIV-positive test. To ascertain a true case of IRIS, the diagnosis was adjudicated for accuracy and consistency by an independent review committee. Plasma HIV viral load, CD4 counts, and routine laboratory evaluations (hemoglobin, white blood cell count (WBC)) were performed by each hospital's clinical laboratory. The IRIS incidence was assessed using the International Network for Studies Against HIV-Associated IRIS (INSHI) during the first three months after ART initiation. Multivariate Cox regression with IRIS as the outcome, using the SPSSSurvival package, examined the relationship between baseline maternal characteristics and HIV clinical markers before ART initiation and IRIS, and finally, decision-tree analysis for predicting IRIS was performed.

RESULTS

From a pool of 532 ART-naïve pregnant women, 133 (25%) developed IRIS, and 97 (72.9%) were in the unmasking category. The accumulated risk of experiencing IRIS symptoms increased from week two (hazard ratio (HR)=0.0287) to week 12 (HR=3.6158). Participants with a maternal BMI (MBMI) of 25-29.9 kg/m2 at baseline were at a higher risk of unmasking IRIS (HR=2.478; P=0.010). The WHO-HIV clinical stages 1 and 2 skewed towards paradoxical IRIS (regression coefficients =-0.111 and -0.276 (P<0.05)), while stage 4 skewed towards unmasking IRIS (regression coefficient=0.047, HR=1.048, P=0.941). A CD4 count > 500 cells/mm^3 skewed towards unmasking IRIS (regression coefficient=0.192, HR=1.211, P=0.416), while RNA-HIV viral loads >50 copies/ml towards paradoxical IRIS (regression coefficient=-0.199, HR=0.820, P=0.360. On decision tree analysis, 85% (P=0.001) of ART-naïve pregnant women with a baseline CD4 count below 500 copies/mm^3 presented with unmasking IRIS.

CONCLUSION

For ART-naïve pregnant women, unmasking IRIS is the most common type, and an MBMI of 25-29.9 kg/m2, advanced HIV infection, a CD4 count <500 cells/mm^3, and a higher parity at baseline may be clinically useful predictors. The higher proportion of ART-naïve pregnant women experiencing unmasking as compared to paradoxical IRIS supports the need for earlier assessment based on potential predictors.

Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in People Living with HIV Who Presented with Interstitial Pneumonitis: an Emerging Challenge in the Era of Rapid Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy

Studies on immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in people living with HIV (PLWH) and presenting with interstitial pneumonitis (IP) are limited in the era of rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, particularly with integrase strand-transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-containing regimens. Adult PLWH presenting with IP in whom ART was initiated within 30 days of IP diagnosis between 2015 and 2021 were retrospectively identified. The primary outcome was the occurrence of IRIS within 30 days after admission. Of 88 eligible PLWH with IP (median age, 36 years; CD4 count, 39 cells/mm3), Pneumocystis jirovecii and cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA were detected via polymerase-chain-reaction assay in 69.3% and 91.7% of respiratory specimens, respectively. 22 PLWH (25.0%) had manifestations that met French's IRIS criteria for paradoxical IRIS. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of the all-cause mortality (0.0% versus 6.1%, P = 0.24), the occurrence of respiratory failure (22.7% versus 19.7%, P = 0.76), and pneumothorax (9.1% versus 7.6%, P = 0.82) between PLWH with and those without paradoxical IRIS. In a multivariable analysis, the factors associated with IRIS were the decline of the 1 month plasma HIV RNA load (PVL) with ART (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] per 1 log decrease, 3.45; 95% CI, 1.52 to 7.81), a baseline CD4-to-CD8 ratio of <0.1 (aHR, 3.47; 95% CI, 1.16 to 10.44), and the rapid initiation of ART (aHR, 7.95; 95% CI, 1.04 to 60.90). In conclusion, we found a high rate of paradoxical IRIS among PLWH with IP in the era of rapid ART initiation with INSTI-containing ART and this was associated with immune depletion at baseline, a rapid decline of PVL, and an interval of <7 days between the diagnosis of IP and the initiation of ART. IMPORTANCE Our study of PLWH who presented with IP mainly due to Pneumocystis jirovecii demonstrates that a high rate of paradoxical IRIS and a rapid decline of PVL with the initiation of ART, a CD4-to-CD8 ratio of <0.1 at baseline, and a short interval (<7 days) between the diagnosis of IP and the initiation of ART were associated with paradoxical IP-IRIS in PLWH. Paradoxical IP-IRIS was not associated with mortality or respiratory failure with heightened awareness among the HIV-treating physicians, rigorous investigations to exclude the possibilities of concomitant infections, or the malignancies and adverse effects of medications, including the cautious use of corticosteroids.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in splenic Pneumocystis jirovecii infection: A case report

To the best of our knowledge, the present report is the first to describe immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in a case of Pneumocystis jirovecii (P. jirovecii) infection of the spleen. A 45-year-old, men who have sex with men patient presented with constipation, abdominal pain, nausea, fever, and weight loss. Human immunodeficiency virus infection and P. jirovecii pneumonia were diagnosed. Abdominal computed tomography revealed multiple, hypodense, cystic lesions in the spleen. Based on the histopathological findings of the lesion obtained from a percutaneous splenic biopsy, extrapulmonary P. jirovecii infection of the spleen was diagnosed. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was administered for 21 days, and antiretroviral therapy was initiated ten days after the former regimen was begun. Temporary enlargement of the splenic lesions and fever recurrence were observed after the trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole regimen was completed. However, the clinical course was favorable, with no splenic rupture or splenic bleeding. Our investigation suggested that additional therapy, such as corticosteroid administration, may not be required for IRIS in a splenic P. jirovecii infection, but further research is needed for a definitive conclusion.

The IRIS paradox: Imaging findings in a case of PJP-IRIS

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia infection reflects an exaggerated inflammatory response of the host immune system to an antigen, which is temporally related to recovery of the immune system. Clinical manifestations include fever, cough, dyspnoea and hypoxia following the commencement of antiretroviral therapy. Diagnosis is made on clinical and radiological criteria with exclusion of other infective and non-infective causes. Unrecognized, IRIS may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Treatment with corticosteroids often results in prompt recovery. There is limited literature on radiological findings of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia-associated IRIS. Here we describe cross-sectional imaging findings of PJP-IRIS in a patient following commencement of antiretroviral therapy.

Initiating antiretroviral therapy within 2 weeks of anti-Pneumocystis treatment does not increase mortality or AIDS-defining events in patients with HIV-associated moderate to severe Pneumocystis pneumonia: results of a prospective observational multicenter study

BACKGROUND

The mortality rate remains high among patients with coinfection with Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) and HIV. The timing for initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) after a diagnosis of moderate to severe PCP remains controversial, however. We therefore designed the present study to determine the optimal timing for ART initiation in AIDS-associated PCP (AIDS/PCP) patients.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, observational, prospective clinical trial. Eligible participants were recruited from 14 hospitals in mainland China, and assigned to an Early ART arm (initiation of ART ≤ 14 days after PCP diagnosis) and a Deferred ART arm (initiation of ART > 14 days after PCP diagnosis). The primary outcomes were death and the incidence of AIDS-defining events at week 48. The secondary outcomes were the changes in CD4+ T-cell counts from baseline values at weeks 12, 24, and 48, the virological suppression rate at week 24 and week 48, the rate of development of PCP-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (PCP/IRIS), and the rate of adverse events over 48 weeks.

RESULTS

The present study was performed using the data of 363 participants, with 169 participants in the Early ART arm, and 194 participants in the Deferred ART arm. Immunological and virological outcomes were found to be similar in both treatment arms. At week 48, there were no significant differences for the incidence of mortality (20 vs. 26, p = 0.860), and AIDS-defining events (17 vs. 26, p = 0.412). Over 48 weeks, the rates of PCP/IRIS (2 vs. 3, p = 1.000), adverse events (70 vs. 72, p = 0.465), and grade 3 or 4 adverse events (28 vs. 34, p = 0.919) did not reach statistical significance. A significant difference observed between two study arms was that 11 participants (55.0%) in the Early ART arm compared to 23 participants (88.5%) in the Deferred ART arm (p = 0.026) succumbed before ART had ever been started.

CONCLUSIONS

Early ART initiation results in no increase in mortality, AIDS-defining events, IRIS, adverse events, and immunological or virological outcomes. These results support the early initiation of ART in patients with moderate to severe AIDS/PCP. Clinical trial registration The present trial was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900021195). Registered 1 February 2019, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=35362 .

Pneumocystis jirovecii-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome-like phenomenon in a child with leukaemia: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) refers to the phenomenon of intense immune responses against pathogens in patients with AIDS undergoing antiretroviral therapy to reconstitute immune function, resulting in functional impairment of multiple organs. Non-AIDS immunosuppressed hosts may also develop similar manifestations to IRIS during immune recovery.

CASE PRESENTATION

An 8-year-old girl presented with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was admitted for scheduled chemotherapy treatment. During chemotherapy, she experienced pancytopenia and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, which was diagnosed based on the abnormal shadows observed on chest computed tomography, the elevation of serum β-D-glucan, and the positive mNGS results of Pneumocystis jirovecii in both sputum and blood. After treatment with Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor, sulfamethoxazole, and caspofungin, aggravation of lung lesions was discovered and severe interstitial lung disease developed in a short period along with a rapidly increasing leukocyte count. Intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy was given, but lung function did not improve, and she finally died after the withdrawal of medical care.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with acute lymphocytic leukaemia infected with Pneumocystis jirovecii, the rapid aggravation of pulmonary lesions in the process of blood recovery and immune reconstitution should raise vigilance against the possibility of IRIS-like reactions. The use of granulocyte stimulating factors may aggravate the inflammatory response in the lungs. The timing, dosage, and duration of treatment of glucocorticoids and the impact of high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy on the prognosis of patients should be explored in further research.

Risk factors for IRIS in HIV-associated Pneumocystis-pneumonia following ART initiation

BACKGROUND

HIV-infected patients with Pneumocystis-pneumonia (PCP) may develop paradoxical immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), when combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is started early during the course of PCP-treatment (PCPT). The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and predictors for PCP-IRIS and to improve individualized patient care.

METHODS

An ICD-10 code hospital database query identified all Frankfurt HIV Cohort patients being diagnosed with PCP from January 2010 - June 2016. Patient charts were evaluated retrospectively for demographic, clinical and therapeutic (cART/PCPT) characteristics and incidence of paradoxical IRIS according to French's case definitions.

RESULTS

IRIS occurred in 12/97 patients that started cART while on PCPT (12.4%). They had a higher rate of re-hospitalization (41.7vs. 4.7%; odds ratio (OR) 14.46; p = 0.009), intensive care treatment (66.7vs. 30.6%; OR = 4.54; p = 0.018), and longer median hospitalization (48 days vs. 23; p < 0.001). A high HIV-RNA level (> 6Log₁₀/ml) before cART initiation was associated with IRIS development (41.6vs. 15.0%; OR 4.05; p = 0.042). Serum immunoglobulin G-levels (IgG) [mg/dl] were lower (894.0 vs. 1446.5; p = 0.023).

CONCLUSION

Higher hospitalization rate and morbidity parameters underscore the clinical importance of PCP-related paradoxical IRIS. A baseline viral load of > 6Log10/ml and serum IgG may help to assess individual risks for PCP-IRIS.

Systemic Inflammation Associated with Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in Persons Living with HIV

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has represented a major advancement in the care of people living with HIV (PLWHH), resulting in significant reductions in morbidity and mortality through immune reconstitution and attenuation of homeostatic disruption. Importantly, restoration of immune function in PLWH with opportunistic infections occasionally leads to an intense and uncontrolled cytokine storm following ART initiation known as immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). IRIS occurrence is associated with the severe and rapid clinical deterioration that results in significant morbidity and mortality. Here, we detail the determinants underlying IRIS development in PLWH, compiling the available knowledge in the field to highlight details of the inflammatory responses in IRIS associated with the most commonly reported opportunistic pathogens. This review also highlights gaps in the understanding of IRIS pathogenesis and summarizes therapeutic strategies that have been used for IRIS.

Pneumocystis pneumonia in the twenty-first century: HIV-infected versus HIV-uninfected patients

Introduction: Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP) has classically been described as a serious complication in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, the emerging number of conditions associated with immunosuppression has led to its appearance in other patient populations. Areas covered: This article reviews the most recent publications on PcP in the HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected population, focusing on epidemiology, diagnostic, therapy and prevention. The data discussed here were mainly obtained from a non-systematic review using Medline and references from relevant articles including randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses, observational studies and clinical reviews. Expert opinion: The growing incidence of Pneumocystis infection in the HIV-uninfected population suggests the need for new global epidemiological studies in order to identify the true scale of the disease in this population. These data would allow us to improve diagnosis, therapeutic strategies, and clinical management. It is very important that both patients and physicians realize that HIV-uninfected patients are at risk of PcP and that rapid diagnosis and early initiation of treatment are associated with better prognosis. Currently, in-hospital mortality rates are very high: 15% for HIV-infected patients and 50% in some HIV-uninfected patients. Therefore, adequate preventive measures should be implemented to avoid the high mortality rates seen in recent decades.

miRNA-302e attenuates inflammation in infantile pneumonia though the RelA/BRD4/NF-κB signaling pathway

In the present study, the main focus was investigating the role of microRNA (miRNA)-302e in infantile pneumonia (IP) and exploring the potential protective mechanisms. Briefly, the expression of miRNA-302e was reduced in a mouse model of IP. In addition, the administration of anti-miRNA-302e increased inflammation and induced the protein expression of RelA, bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB in the in vitro model of IP. In contrast, over-expression of miRNA-302e reduced inflammation and suppressed the protein expression of RelA, BRD4 and NF-κB in an in vitro model of IP. Small interfering (si)-RelA attenuated the effects of miRNA-302e on inflammation in an in vitro model of IP. Consistently, si-BRD4 or si-NF-κB attenuated the effects of miRNA-302e on inflammation in an in vitro model of IP. Taken together, the results of the present study demonstrated that miRNA-302e attenuated inflammation in IP through the RelA/ BRD4/ NF-κB signaling pathway.