Pulmonary considerations in the immunocompromised patient

The compromised patient who presents to the emergency department with pulmonary complaints is becoming a common occurrence. An immunocompromised state can result from a disease process such as HIV or from medications used to prevent graft rejection in solid organ recipients or to treat conditions such as collagen vascular disease. The emergency department physician should be familiar with the more common complications that can afflict this unique patient group. This article addresses the presentation, evaluation, and treatment of the more common pulmonary complications that can occur in solid organ transplant recipients, cancer patients, patients suffering from collagen vascular disease, and patients with HIV disease.