Prophylaxis for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review

Abstract

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of developing Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) than the general population. Many medications utilized for the treatment of IBD affect the immune system, potentially further increasing the risk of PJP. Recommendations for prophylaxis against PJP in this patient population are based upon limited evidence, and risk factors for PJP development are not well-agreed upon. The purpose of this systematic review was to consolidate and evaluate the evidence for PJP prophylaxis in patients with IBD. An electronic literature search was performed, and 29 studies were included in the review, of which 24 were case reports or case series. Combined data from five cohort studies showed an absolute risk of developing PJP to be 0.07%. The majority of patients who developed PJP were receiving corticosteroids at the time of diagnosis (76%). The number of concomitant immunosuppressants received at time of PJP diagnosis varied from one to four. All studies reporting treatment of PJP utilized sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. Of the 27 studies reporting mortality data, 19% of patients died. Given the lack of conclusive data regarding risk factors for PJP development and the overall low incidence of PJP in patients with IBD, it is recommended to assess the patient's risk on a case-by-case basis to determine whether PJP prophylaxis is warranted.