1. Pulmonary infiltrates in patients with haematologic malignancies: transbronchial lung biopsy increases the diagnostic yield with respect to neoplastic infiltrates and toxic pneumonitis.
- Author
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Mulabecirovic A, Gaulhofer P, Auner HW, Popper H, Krause R, Hesse C, and Sill H
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Antineoplastic Agents adverse effects, Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid, Bronchoscopy, Cohort Studies, Disease Progression, Female, Fiber Optic Technology, Hematologic Neoplasms complications, Hematologic Neoplasms diagnosis, Hemorrhage etiology, Hemorrhage prevention & control, Humans, Leukemic Infiltration, Lung Diseases diagnosis, Lung Diseases etiology, Lung Diseases pathology, Male, Middle Aged, Myelodysplastic Syndromes complications, Myelodysplastic Syndromes diagnosis, Myelodysplastic Syndromes pathology, Platelet Transfusion, Pneumonia chemically induced, Pneumonia diagnosis, Pneumonia etiology, Pneumonia pathology, Predictive Value of Tests, Retrospective Studies, Biopsy adverse effects, Biopsy methods, Biopsy statistics & numerical data, Hematologic Neoplasms pathology, Lung pathology
- Abstract
We retrospectively evaluated 107 fiberoptic bronchoscopies with and without transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) in 98 consecutive patients with haematologic malignancies and pulmonary infiltrates. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in 45 and BAL plus TBLB in 62 procedures. There was no procedure-related severe haemorrhage, pneumothorax or death. Infectious aetiology was identified in 26 of 107 (24%), toxic pneumonitis in 17 of 107 (16%) and neoplastic infiltration in 9 of 107 (8.5%) episodes. Combined BAL and TBLB was significantly superior to BAL alone with respect to the diagnosis of neoplastic infiltrates (p=0.008) and toxic pneumonitis (p<0.001) and should therefore be included in the diagnostic work-up of this patient cohort.
- Published
- 2004
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