Comparison of Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Mini-Bronchoalveolar Lavage in the Diagnosis of Pneumonia in Immunocompromised Patients

WOS: 000288208800009PubMed ID: 21358222Background: Pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is commonly used to help diagnose and characterize pneumonia in these patients. Mini-BAL is a less-invasive, less-costly and less-cumbersome diagnostic tool than BAL. Objectives: In this study, we compared the diagnostic value of BAL and mini-BAL in the evaluation of pneumonia in immunocompromised patients with respiratory failure. Methods: Sixty-four respiratory samples were collected from 32 immunocompromised patients admitted to our respiratory intensive care unit with a clinical diagnosis of pneumonia and respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. A single BAL sample and a single mini-BAL sample were collected from each patient. Samples were examined for bacteriologic, mycologic, mycobacteriologic, and viral organisms. Results: The mean age of the patients was 56.0 +/- 14.4 years. Of the 32 BAL samples, bacterial isolates were detected in 11 patients (34.4%) and on the other hand bacterial isolates were detected in 10 patients (31.3%) of the mini-BAL samples. Fungal isolates were detected in 11 patients (34.4%) from BAL samples and 13 patients (40.6%) from mini-BAL samples. Our analysis demonstrated a strong positive correlation between the results of BAL and mini-BAL testing (r = 0.850 and r = 0.821, respectively). Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated a strong correlation between the isolation rates of bacteria and fungi in BAL and mini-BAL samples obtained from immunocompromised patients with pneumonia and respiratory failure. The data strongly support the use of mini-BAL sampling in such patients as a less-invasive, less-costly and simpler alternative to traditional BAL. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base

Proposed cut-off points for optimal BMI, age and neck circumference value in the stop-bang: comparison of Greece, Turkey and Croatia

[No Abstract Available

COMPARISON OF TEICOPLANIN AND LINEZOLID THERAPIES IN PATIENTS WITH METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS PNEUMONIA ACQUIRED FROM RESPIRATORY INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

WOS: 000281584800002PubMed ID: 21063985Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the high-risk and potential multi-drug resistant microorganisms that leads to infection in intensive care unit (ICU). Although standard antibiotics used for its treatment are glycopeptides, linezolid is considered as an alternative treatment especially in hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the results of linezolid and teicoplanin treatments in patients with MRSA isolated from their respiratory samples in ICU. In our respiratory ICU, 41 consecutive patients (28 males, mean age 66.0 +/- 16.0 years) diagnosed as HAP due to MRSA were included in the study. Teicoplanin was used in 22 patients and linezolid treatment was given to 19 patients. In the linezolid group, mean age and Acute Physiology Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score were found higher (68.9 +/- 12.5 vs. 63.5 +/- 18.5 and 25.7 +/- 6.4 vs. 23.2 +/- 4.9, respectively), and PaO2/FiO(2) ratio was lower (176.4 +/- 58.2 vs. 191.6 +/- 91.3) however, the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of hospitalization indications, co-morbid diseases, other baseline findings and risk factors for development of HAP caused by MRSA. Invasive mechanical ventilation was applied to 86.4% of the patients in teicoplanin group and 84.2% in linezolid group (p > 0.05). The rates of bacteremia were found as 22.7% and 31.6% in teicoplanin and linezolid groups, respectively (p > 0.05). Bacteriological eradication was achieved in all patients given linezolid, whereas this rate was 72.7% in patients on teicoplanin therapy (p = 0.048). There was no difference with regards to durations of ICU and hospital stay between the two groups. The mortality rate was found lower in the linezolid group than the teicoplanin group (42.1% vs. 63.6%), however this difference was not found statistically important (p > 0.05). In conclusion; the present study demonstrated that better microbiological eradication was achieved by linezolid therapy in pneumonia caused by MRSA in ICU, however, the clinical efficacy and survival rates were similar to teicoplanin therapy

Factors affecting treatment success in community acquired pneumonia (CAP)

WOS: 00020937040245

Fixed But Not Autoadjusting Positive Airway Pressure Attenuates the Time-dependent Decline in Glomerular Filtration Rate in Patients With OSA

Background: The impact of treating OSA on renal function decline is controversial. Previous studies usually included small samples and did not consider specific effects of different CPAP modalities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the respective influence of fixed and autoadjusting CPAP modes on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in a large sample of patients derived from the prospective European Sleep Apnea Database cohort. Methods: In patients of the European Sleep Apnea Database, eGFR prior to and after follow-up was calculated by using the Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Three study groups were investigated: untreated patients (n = 144), patients receiving fixed CPAP (fCPAP) (n = 1,178), and patients on autoadjusting CPAP (APAP) (n = 485). Results: In the whole sample, eGFR decreased over time. The rate of eGFR decline was significantly higher in the subgroup with eGFR above median (91.42 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) at baseline (P <.0001 for effect of baseline eGFR). This decline was attenuated or absent (P <.0001 for effect of treatment) in the subgroup of patients with OSA treated by using fCPAP. A follow-up duration exceeding the median (541 days) was associated with eGFR decline in the untreated and APAP groups but not in the fCPAP group (P <.0001 by two-way ANOVA for interaction between treatment and follow-up length). In multiple regression analysis, eGFR decline was accentuated by advanced age, female sex, cardiac failure, higher baseline eGFR, and longer follow-up duration, whereas there was a protective effect of fCPAP. Conclusions: fCPAP but not APAP may prevent eGFR decline in OSA