Bordetella pertussis is known to be a highly contagious organism leading to variable clinical manifestations especially in children. Severe pulmonary hypertension, apneas, convulsions and failure to thrive have been reported as symptoms associated with the infection however edema associated with B. pertussis illness is poorly reported in literature. In this report the clinical association between B. pertussis and generalized edema in infants is highlighted. By excluding all other causes, the infant's edema was thought to be due to a capillary leak resulting from inflammation mediated by toxins produced by B. pertussis. Meropenem and Teicoplanin. Respiratory viral panel was sent and was negative. Blood cultures and urine cultures also sent came back negative.
Abbreviations:The patient was initially placed on lasix 0.5mg/kg q6h in addition to spironolactone 8mg qd and fluid restriction was set at a total fluid input of 60cc/kg/day. However, the patients edema had not improved so a repeat xray was done CI was 0.6. Lasix continuous was started at 0.1mg/kg/hr and urine output was monitored.The patient started urinating 7cc/kg/hr so spironolactone was halted and lasix continued. Workup was initiated for evaluation of the edema; nephrologic causes needed to be ruled out like nephrotic syndrome TG/cholesterol, albumin, urine spot all normal.Renin and aldosterone levels were mildly elevated, and cortisol level was normal. Thyroid workup was normal. Immune workup was ordered including IgG, IgM, IgA, IgG subclasses, C3,C4 and flow cytometry and turned out normal. CF mutations ordered was also normal. Abdominal ultrasound done showed a fatty enlarged liver with thickened gallbladder wall no fluids in the abdomen complete liver panel came back normal.By this point the patient had been intubated for 12 days, despite the treatment the patient was still very edematous and nonextubateable, with frequent mucous plugs and desaturations requiring frequent suctioning and lavage. However, the inflammatory markers started to trend down, so lasix dose was adjusted to 0.2mg/kg/hr and the infectious disease team opted for a Bronchoalveolar lavage which displayed atelectasis of the right lung after the right main bronchus and thick mucoid secretions which were sent for culture, cell count and bacterial and viral studies. Respiratory viral panel repeated on the BAL came back positive for bortedella pertussis so Clarithromycin was added and as soon as the withstanding pancultures came back negative meropenem and targocid were halted.The patient started to lose the water retention gradually dropping from the initial 8.4kg to a whooping 6.8kg, clinically he was requiring less and less parameters on the respirator and was successfully extubated on day 12 of his ICU stay. His lasix dose was tapered slowly and the patient was feeding the second day after extubation. On the third day after his extubation the patient was transferred to the floor.
DiscussionRespiratory distress, apneas, hyponatremia, convulsions and edema were the clinical ...