Study of lung abscess in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

Abstract

  Objective: The prevention and treatment of respiratory infectious disease affects the prognosis of patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities. We report the clinical features of lung abscess in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities for early diagnosis and treatment. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 5 patients diagnosed as having lung abscess, between April 1993 and August 2014, to study the clinical features of the lung abscess. Results: All patients had complicated scoliosis and a history of aspiration pneumonia. In 3 of the 5 patients, the initial symptom was fever. Among the 4 patients who underwent pleural tap, 3 had mixed infection with intraoral anaerobes. All 5 patients showed abscess formation associated with the concave side of scoliosis. Conclusion: Physicians should be aware that patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities and scoliosis, even when presenting with fever alone, might have abscess on the concave side of scoliosis, especially when they have a history of aspiration pneumonia. Oral cavity care and postural drainage are important.