The presence of intraperitoneal, retroperitoneal and pleural fluid in acute Puumala hantavirus infection

Abstract

Background

Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) causes most cases of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Europe. PUUV infection is characterised by acute kidney injury, thrombocytopenia and increased capillary leakage. Typical symptoms are fever, headache, nausea, abdominal and back pain. This study aimed to evaluate the amount and distribution of intraperitoneal, retroperitoneal and pleural fluid and the association of fluid collections to the symptoms and clinical findings in patients with acute PUUV infection.

Methods

Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 27 hospitalised patients with acute PUUV infection. The clinical and laboratory findings and patients’ symptoms were analysed in relation to the imaging findings. The thickness of the fluid collections was measured in millimetres (mm) from axial images.

Results

Fluid collections were found in all patients. The amount of intraperitoneal fluid correlated positively with plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) level (r = 0.586, p = .001), while it had an inverse correlation with serum creatinine concentration (r = −0.418, p = .030). Retroperitoneal fluid also correlated inversely with serum creatinine and cystatin C concentrations (r = −0.501, p = .008 and r = −0.383, p = .048, respectively). The amount of fluid was not greater in patients with abdominal or back pain. Patients with back pain had higher serum creatinine compared with patients without back pain, 452 µmol/L (range 88–1071) vs. 83 µmol/L (range 60–679), p = .004.

Conclusions

Fluid collections were found in all patients. A greater amount of intraperitoneal fluid associates with higher CRP concentrations but not with higher serum creatinine levels. Back pain associates with higher creatinine level but not with the presence of fluids.

Keywords:

• Puumala hantavirus
• haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome
• hantaviral disease
• acute kidney injury
• magnetic resonance imaging

Acknowledgements

The authors are deeply grateful to research nurses Katriina Ylinikkilä, Eini Eskola and Reeta Kulmala for invaluable technical assistance.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility Area of Tampere University Hospital (9AA050, 9AB046 and 9AA052) and Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation.