Management Of Pulmonary Infiltrates Research Articles

Utility of flexible bronchoscopy with polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary infiltrates in allogeneic HSCT patients

ObjectivesPulmonary infiltrates in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo‐HSCT) patients are potentially life‐threatening and require early diagnosis and treatment. We aimed to retrospectively explore the clinical efficacy of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in conjunction with flexible bronchoscopy (FB) in allo‐HSCT patients with pulmonary infiltrates.Patients and methodsWe retrospectively reviewed all patients undergoing FB after allo‐HSCT at the Peking University Institute of Hematology from January 2013 to December 2016. We used PCR to detect various viruses in FB specimens, particularly for 27 viruses.ResultsOne hundred forty‐nine diagnostic FBs were performed in 130 patients. The overall diagnostic yield was 58%. Eighty‐nine percent of the patients with a positive FB result were diagnosed with a pulmonary infection. Viruses were the most common infectious diagnosis (70%), followed by fungi (48%), bacteria (38%), and Pneumocystis jirovecii (12%). Multivariate analyses showed that a chest computed tomography (CT) finding of diffuse pulmonary infiltrates (P = .012) and positive results in assisted microbiological and serological analyses (P = .000) predicted a positive FB result. FB results prompted a treatment modification in 61% of cases.Conclusions FB in conjunction with PCR is efficient in the rapid diagnosis and management of pulmonary infiltrates in allo‐HSCT patients.

Safety and Benefits of Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Lung Biopsy in the Management of Pulmonary Infiltrates in Children With Leukemia.

Children with leukemia are at risk of developing life-threatening opportunistic pulmonary infections. The role of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung biopsy (BX) in the management of these patients is controversial. In this study, we evaluate the yield and safety of BAL and BX in children with leukemia. We reviewed the records of all children with leukemia who underwent either BAL or BX between 1997 and 2007 at the St Jude Children's Research Hospital. A total of 64 patients were included, of whom 35 (55%) had BX and 29 (45%) had BAL. Positive results were obtained in 69% of BAL cohort and in 46% of BX cohort. Both procedures resulted in change in antimicrobial coverage (77% in BX, 83% in BAL). Pulmonary hemorrhage occurred in 2 patients, and transient hypoxia was the most frequent complication. All resolved without negatively impacting the clinical course. Both BAL and BX are safe and useful in the management of children with leukemia and pulmonary disease.

Utility of Flexible Bronchoscopy in the Evaluation of Pulmonary Infiltrates in the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Population – A Single Center Fourteen Year Experience

IntroductionPulmonary infiltrates are common within the hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) population and unfortunately portend an increased mortality. Bronchoscopy is often utilized as an initial diagnostic tool, but the literature supporting its diagnostic utility and effect on clinical management varies significantly. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic ability, complication rate, and clinical impact of flexible bronchoscopy (FB) in evaluating pulmonary infiltrates in a large HSCT population. Patients and methodRetrospective review of all patients undergoing FB after HSCT in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit from 1996 to 2009. ResultsFB was performed 162 times in 144 patients with pulmonary infiltrates yielding positive results in 52.5%. The most common positive results were bacterial pneumonia (31%), fungal pneumonia (15%), and alveolar hemorrhage (11%). Treatment changes occurred in 44% of patients after FB. Treatment changes included antibiotic modification (59%), addition of corticosteroids (21%), antifungal modification (12%), and antiviral modification (7%). The overall complication rate associated with FB was 30%, although 84% of these complications were considered minor. ConclusionsFB in patients with pulmonary infiltrates after HSCT should still be considered a valuable tool in the evaluation and management of pulmonary infiltrates in the HSCT population. Future prospective, multicenter randomized studies are needed to evaluate the overall clinical impact that bronchoscopic results and management changes have in this unique population.

Utilidad de la broncoscopia flexible en la evaluación de infiltrados pulmonares en la población con trasplante de células madre hemopoyéticas: experiencia de 14 años en un solo centro

IntroductionPulmonary infiltrates are common within the hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) population and unfortunately portend an increased mortality. Bronchoscopy is often utilized as an initial diagnostic tool, but the literature supporting its diagnostic utility and effect on clinical management varies significantly. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic ability, complication rate, and clinical impact of flexible bronchoscopy (FB) in evaluating pulmonary infiltrates in a large HSCT population. Patients and methodRetrospective review of all patients undergoing FB after HSCT in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit from 1996 to 2009. ResultsFB was performed 162times in 144patients with pulmonary infiltrates yielding positive results in 52.5%. The most common positive results were bacterial pneumonia (31%), fungal pneumonia (15%), and alveolar hemorrhage (11%). Treatment changes occurred in 44% of patients after FB. Treatment changes included antibiotic modification (59%), addition of corticosteroids (21%), antifungal modification (12%), and antiviral modification (7%). The overall complication rate associated with FB was 30%, although 84% of these complications were considered minor. ConclusionsFB in patients with pulmonary infiltrates after HSCT should still be considered a valuable tool in the evaluation and management of pulmonary infiltrates in the HSCT population. Future prospective, multicenter randomized studies are needed to evaluate the overall clinical impact that bronchoscopic results and management changes have in this unique population.

Invasive diagnostic procedures for pulmonary infiltrates in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

To evaluate the role of BAL, CTB, and OLB in the management of pulmonary infiltrates in pediatric HSCT recipients, we conducted a retrospective review of clinical records of pediatric HSCT recipients. Data were analyzed using Chi-square for dichotomous and anova for continuous variables. Logistic regression was used to adjust confounding variables for diagnostic yield. Forty patients underwent 44 separate procedures. Infections were the prevailing cause of infiltrates with a positive diagnostic yield (96%). CTB and OLB were performed more often in patients with focal infiltrates compared with BAL (100%, 71% vs. 22%; p < 0.01). Adverse events were not significantly different across the three procedures. OLB more often yielded information that led to change in medical management (71% vs. 0%, 34%; p < 0.05) compared with CTB and BAL. Patients who had a positive diagnostic yield had no apparent survival advantage when compared with those in whom a procedure yielded no information. Logistic regression demonstrated that focal infiltrate was the only independently predictive variable for identifying a cause of pulmonary infiltrate. In conclusion, all three invasive diagnostic procedures were safe. Having a focal infiltrate was independently and significantly associated with having a positive diagnostic yield.

Role of Invasive Procedures in the Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary Infiltrates in Patients with Leukemia

Background : Pulmonary infiltrate is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with leukemia. It is often hard to obtain a reliable diagnosis by clinical and radiologic findings alone. The aim of this study was to evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic benefits of invasive procedures for new lung infiltrates in leukemia. Methods : Patients with leukemia who developed new lung infiltrates from December 1994 to March 1999 were included in this study. These patients were classified into the empirical group who received empirical therapy only and into the invasive group who underwent bronchoscopy or surgical lung biopsy for the diagnostic purpose of new lung infiltrates. A retrospective chart review was done to find the etiologies of new lung infiltrates, the yield of invasive procedures, outcome as well as predicting factors for survival. Results : 1) One hundred-two episodes of new lung infiltrates developed in 90 patients with leukemia. Invasive procedures were performed in 44 episodes while 58 episodes were treated with empirical therapy only. 2) Invasive procedures yielded a specific diagnosis in 72.7%(32/44), of which 78.1% had infectious etiology. Therapeutic plan was changed in 52.3%(23/44) of patients after invasive procedures. None of them showed procedure-related mortality. 3) The overall survival rate was 62.7%(64/102). Survival rate in the invasive group (79.5%) was significantly better than that in the empirical group (50.0%) (p=0.002). 4) Upon multivariate analysis, the performance of invasive procedures, no need for mechanical ventilation and achievement of complete remission of leukemia after induction chemotherapy were the independent predicting factors for survival in patients with leukemia and new lung infiltrates. Conclusion : Bronchoscopy and surgical lung biopsy are useful in the diagnosis of new lung infiltrates in patients with leukemia. However, survival benefits of invasive procedures should be considered together with disease status of leukemia and severity of respiratory compromise.

Bronchoscopy and Surgical Lung Biopsy for the Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary Infiltrates in Immunocompromised Hosts

Background: Pulmonary infiltrate in immunocompromised hosts has many infectious and non-infectios etiologies. To evaluate the diagnostic yield and therapeutic implication of two invasive diagnostic methods, such as bronchoscopy and surgical lung biopsy, we performed retrospective analysis of these patients. Methods: All immunocompromised patients admitted to Samsung Medical Center from October 1995 to August 1998 who underwent bronchoscopy and/or surgical lung biopsy for the diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates were included in this study. Confirmative diagnostic yield, the rate of changed therapeutic plan and patients' survival were investigated. Results: Seventy-five episodes of pulmonary infiltrates developed in 70 patients(M : F=46 : 24, median age 51). Underlying diseases of patients were hematologic malignancy(n=30), organ transplantation(n=11), solid tumor(n= 12), connective tissue disease(n=6) and others. Confirmative diagnosis was made in total 53 cases (70.7%), of which 70.2% had infectious etiology. Diagnostic yields of bronchoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage(BAL), transbronchiallung biopsy(TBLB) and surgical lung biopsy were 35.0%(21/60), 31.4%(16/51), 25.0%(9/36) and 80.0%(20/25). Therapeutic plan was changed in 40%(24/60) of patients after bronchoscopy and in 36%(9/25) of patients after surgical lung biopsy. More patients survived (84.4% vs 60.5%, p=0.024) when therapeutic plan was changed after invasive diagnostic study. Conclusion: Bronchoscopy and surgical lung biopsy are helpful for the therapeutic implication of pulmonary infiltrates in immunocompromised hosts. Large-scale prospective case-control study may further clarify their limitation and usefulness.

Investigation and management of pulmonary infiltrates following bone marrow transplantation: an eight year review.

Although pulmonary infiltrates are common in bone marrow transplant recipients and add significantly to the morbidity and mortality of this group of patients, there is uncertainty as to the most appropriate investigation and a lack of information on the effects of investigations on management and outcome. All bone marrow transplant recipients from one institution referred for respiratory investigation between 1982 and 1990 were reviewed. Of 204 bone marrow transplant recipients 27 developed pulmonary infiltrates which failed to respond to broad spectrum antibiotics. All were examined by bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage. A specific diagnosis was made in 20 cases, 17 with an infective cause and three with a non-infective aetiology. In 17 of the 27 episodes these investigations led to a positive change in treatment, but in only five did these changes result in patient survival beyond one month. Eighteen of the 20 deaths were due to progressive respiratory failure of an infective aetiology in 14 and non-infective in four. Bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage are effective in establishing a diagnosis, but the impact on overall survival is disappointingly poor.

Idiopathic Hypereosinophilic Syndrome-Related Pulmonary Involvement Diagnosed by Bronchoalveolar Lavage

Patients with HES and pulmonary infiltrates may pose certain diagnostic problems as the infiltrates may be attributed to infection, infarction, congestive heart failure, or HES itself. We report an 87-year-old woman with idiopathic HES presenting with bibasal alveolar infiltrates. Differential cell count in BAL fluid yielded a very high percentage (73 percent) of eosinophils. Other authors previously mentioned the absence of eosinophils in the lavage fluid despite an important peripheral eosinophilia in a patient with the idiopathic HES but without HES-related pulmonary involvement. Thus, BAL fluid eosinophilia may suggest HES-related pulmonary involvement. Therefore, BAL might be an important diagnostic tool in the management of pulmonary infiltrates in idiopathic HES.

Open lung biopsy in the immunosuppressed patient

Considerable disparity of opinion exists concerning the risk: benefit ratio of open lung biopsy in immunosuppressed patients. Eighty-three consecutive patients who underwent open lung biopsy were analyzed, and 70 of the 83 (84 percent) patients were immunosuppressed. A specific etiologic diagnosis was obtained by open lung biopsy in 46 of 83 (55 percent) patients, and a nonspecific diagnosis in 37 of 83 (45 percent). Of 53 specific diagnoses in the 46 patients, 15 (28 percent) were infection and 35 (61 percent) were neoplasm. Diagnostic errors occurred twice, for a diagnostic accuracy of 97.5 percent (81 of 83). A change in treatment was dictated by biopsy results in 37 of 83 (45 percent) patients. No deaths were directly attributable to the operative procedure, but surgical complications occurred in eight of 83 (9.6 percent) cases. Hospital mortality rate was 25 percent (21 of 83); late mortality rate was an additional 40 percent (25 of 62) with an average follow-up of 9.7 months. Of those patients whose lung biopsies dictated a change in treatment, eight of 37 (22 percent) died in the hospital; of those with no treatment change indicated, 13 of 46 (28 percent) died (p = N.S.). Patients whose biopsies yielded a specific diagnosis fared no better than those without diagnosis (hospital mortality 26 percent [12 of 46] versus 24 percent [nine of 37], p = N.S.), a finding at variance with previously published series. Total cumulative mortality rate for immunosuppressed patients was 63 percent (44 of 70). Only two of 13 nonimmunosuppressed patients died (cumulative mortality rate 15 percent). Financial analysis revealed that the cost of caring for these desperately ill patients is exceedingly high. Open lung biopsy is an accurate diagnostic tool with low surgical mortality and acceptable morbidity. Thoughtful individual consideration must be given to each case, with realistic assessment made of the benefits likely to result from a definitive diagnosis, given the patient's underlying disease and current state of health. Appropriate selection of patients for open lung biopsy is recommended, with aggressive early diagnosis and management of pulmonary infiltrates before multisystem failure has occurred.