Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2003 Nov 29;362(9398):1828-38.
doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)14904-5.

Glucocorticoids and invasive fungal infections

Michail S Lionakis  1 , Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis
Affiliations
Review

Glucocorticoids and invasive fungal infections

Michail S Lionakis et al. Lancet. .

Abstract

Since the 1990s, opportunistic fungal infections have emerged as a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality in profoundly immunocompromised patients. Hypercortisolaemic patients, both those with endogenous Cushing's syndrome and, much more frequently, those receiving exogenous glucocorticoid therapy, are especially at risk of such infections. This vulnerability is attributed to the complex dysregulation of immunity caused by glucocorticoids. We critically review the spectrum and presentation of invasive fungal infections that arise in the setting of hypercortisolism, and the ways in which glucocorticoids contribute to their pathogenesis. A better knowledge of the interplay between glucocorticoid-induced immunosuppression and invasive fungal infections should assist in earlier recognition and treatment of such infections. Efforts to decrease the intensity of glucocorticoid therapy should help to improve outcomes of opportunistic fungal infections.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources