Table 3 Diagnostics, treatment and outcomes in 52 patients with possible, probable and proven chronic Q fever*
| Â | Proven chronic Q fever: | Probable chronic Q fever: | Possible chronic Q fever: |
|---|---|---|---|
Number of patients | Number of patients | Number of patients | |
(% or range) | (% or range) | (% or range) | |
Number of patients | 18 | 14 | 20 |
Serum PCR | 12 (67%) | 0 | 0 |
Tissue PCR | 6 (33%) | 0 | 0 |
Anti-phase I IgG at diagnosis | 4096 (256-65536) | 2048 (1024-32768) | 2048 (1024-16384) |
CFT at diagnosis | 1280 (0-20480) | 320 (80-5120) | 320 (40-2560) |
Time to anti-phase I IgG <1024 (months) | 23.3 ± 7.9 [n = 4] | 12.6 ± 3.9 [n = 5] | 7.5 ± 5.1 [n = 8] |
Time to negative serum PCR | 3.6 ± 3.0 [n = 7] | NA | NA |
Complete diagnostic workup | 16 (89%) | 9 (64%) | 8 (40%) |
Abdominal ultrasound | 8 (44%) | 6 (43%) | 8 (40%) |
  Fluid collection | 3 | 0 | 0 |
  Increased diameter of aneurysm | 1 | 0 | 0 |
  Helpfulness | 4/8 (50%) | 0 | 0 |
Screening abdominal CT | 2 (11%) | 1 (7%) | - |
  Aneurysm | 2 | 0 | - |
  Suggestive of infected aneurysm or prosthesis | 1 | 0 | - |
  Helpfulness | 2/2 (100%) | 0 | - |
CT on account of PET/CT | 3 (17%) | 0 | 0 |
  Aneurysm | 2 | - | - |
  Suggestive of infected aneurysm or prosthesis | 3 | - | - |
  Helpfulness | 3/3 (100%) | - | - |
FDG-PET/CT | 13 (72%) | 8 (57%) | 9 (45%) |
  Focal uptake aneurysm | 7 | 0 | 0 |
  Focal uptake vascular prosthesis | 3 | 0 | 0 |
  Soft tissue inflammation | 4 | 0 | 0 |
  Para-aortal lymfadenopathy | 1 | 0 | 0 |
  Mediastinal lymfadenopathy | 1 | 3 | 0 |
  Unexpected findings | 4 | 4 | 2 |
  Helpfulness | 10/13 (77%) | 0 | 0 |
TTE | 16 (89%) | 13 (93%) | 12 (60%) |
  Echocardiographic major criteria | 0 | 0 | 0 |
  Echocardiographic minor criteria | 12 | 8 | 4 |
  Helpfulness | 1/16 (6%) | 1/13†(8%) | 0 |
TEE | 6 (33%) | 3 (21%) | 4 (20%) |
  Echocardiographic major criteria | 2 | 0 | 0 |
  Echocardiographic minor criteria | 6 | 1 | 3 |
  Helpfulness | 3/6 (50%) | 1/3†(33%) | 0 |
Antibiotic therapy | 18 (100%) | 7 (50%) | 3 (15%) |
Mortality during treatment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Ongoing treatment | 13 | 7 | 2 |
Treatment completed successfully | 2 | 0 | 1 |
  Mean duration of treatment (months) | 21.5 ± 6.4 [n = 2] | - | 2 [n = 1] |
Surgery | 6 (33%) | 0 | 0 |
Aortic graft surgery‡ | 4 (22%) | - | - |
Cardiac valve surgery | 2 (11%) | - | - |
Mortality | 3 (17%) | 0 | 0 |