[Acute pulmonary infiltrates in hematologic malignancies in aplasia (author's transl)]

Extensive pneumonias are usually implicated as the sole cause for acute respiratory failure complicating severe neutropenia in hematologic malignancies and are often fatal. We report study of 11 patients investigated and treated in intensive care unit, using transtracheal aspiration, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) via face mask and granulocyte transfusions Two groups of patients emerged from this study. The first group with immediately diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, positive blood cultures, negative tracheal cultures, marked improvement in hypoxemia during CPAP, benefits from granulocyte transfusion without impairment in ventilatory status and may be considered as non-hemodynamic pulmonary oedema. The second group with localized pulmonary infiltrates, negative blood cultures and positive tracheal culture, slight improvement in hypoxemia during CPAP, gets no benefit from granulocyte transfusion, with additional impairment in ventilatory status and may be considered as acute extensive pneumonias.