Clinical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Laboratory Detection of 50 Cases of Pulmonary Cryptococcosis

OBJECTIVE: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical diagnosis, treatment process, and laboratory test data of patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis to improve the understanding and diagnosis and treatment ability of the disease. METHODS: Patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from October 2003 to July 2021 were selected, and their medical records were consulted. The general data, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, imaging characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment methods were studied. The software SPSS 22 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis were included in the study. The ratio of male to female was 1 : 1. The average age was 53.56 ± 11.99 years with a range of 27-82 years. Grouping the patients by age, with 10 years as an age group, we found that 40-60 years was the high-incidence age group. Two patients (4%) had a history of bird contact, and 18 patients (36%) had at least one underlying conditions. Hypertension and cough were the most common underlying condition and clinical manifestation, respectively. The main admission diagnoses were lung shadow (19/50, 38%) and chest/lung mass (15/50, 30%). In the imaging findings, the most common type of lesions was nodule/nodule shadow (29/69, 42.03%). Lesion distribution in the lower lobe, single lobe, and right lung was more frequent than that in the upper lobe, multilobes, and left lung, respectively. Burr sign (12/43, 27.91%) was the most common concomitant sign. Pulmonary ventilatory defect was found in 7 cases. Laboratory test results were largely nonspecific. The pathological examination showed granuloma, with 47 cases (94%) confirmed by postoperative biopsy. Two cases (4%) were confirmed by serology. One case (2%) was diagnosed with Cryptococcus smear. 43 cases (86%) were treated with simple surgical resection, 6 cases (12%) were treated with antifungal drugs, and 1 case (2%) was transferred to another hospital for suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary cryptococcosis is more common in the middle-aged and elderly, and the clinical specificity is low. It can occur in people with normal or impaired immune function. The main clinical and imaging manifestation is cough and pulmonary nodules, which are very easy 5to be misdiagnosed. Surgical resection is the primary treatment.