Influenza A virus infection and pulmonary microthromboembolism

Tohoku J Exp Med. 2000 Sep;192(1):81-6. doi: 10.1620/tjem.192.81.

Abstract

This report presents the cases of two patients with rapidly progressive hypoxemia associated with influenza A(H3N2) virus infection, who were diagnosed with influenza related acute pulmonary microthromboembolism by serum D-dimer, lung perfusion and ventilation scans and computed-tomography scan of the chest, and were successfully treated by anti-coagulant therapy. The present cases suggest that acute onset pulmonary microthromboembolism should be considered in some patients with sudden, unexplained dyspnea during an outbreak of influenza infection and prompt diagnosis is essential to save the patient from acute death associated with influenza.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Heparin / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Influenza A virus*
  • Influenza, Human / complications*
  • Male
  • Plasminogen Activators / therapeutic use
  • Pulmonary Embolism / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Embolism / drug therapy
  • Pulmonary Embolism / microbiology*
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Heparin
  • Plasminogen Activators
  • Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator