RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Can sputum induction aid in identifying micro-organisms that cause respiratory tract infections other than tuberculosis? A tertiary care hospital experience
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP PA1758
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.PA1758
VO 58
IS suppl 65
A1 Ayaz Mohammad Khan
A1 Hamdan Al-Jahdali
A1 Abdullah Harbi
A1 Rajkumar Rajendram
A1 Al-Rhaji Suliman
A1 Sherbini Nahid
A1 Mohammed Alhamadi
A1 Abdula Al-Rashidi
YR 2021
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA1758.abstract
AB Background: At our institution, when patients suspected to have tuberculosis and are unable to provide sputum or brochoscopy is delayed logistically, nebulized hypertonic saline sputum induction (SI) is performed to obtain micro-biological samples. The aim of this study is to report pathogens other than tuberculous identified in induced sputum in patients presenting with respiratory illness.Methods: A retrospective study was performed to investigate the outcomes in patients with suspected tuberculosis who had SI between March 2012 and October 2019.Results: 252 patients (mean age 54 ±SD 20 years; Male 53%) had sputum induction for suspected tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was excluded by negative sputum smear, culture and PCR in 162 patients (64.3%). The most common final diagnosis was pneumonia 61 (37.4%). Other diagnoses included bronchiectasis 8 (4.9%), asthma 6 (3.7%) and pulmonary nodules 5 (3.1%). The commonest non-tuberculous pathogens identified from induced sputum included Yeasts 44 (27%), staph.aureus 7 (4.3%), pseudomonas 3 (1.8%). Importantly, no organism was identified in 97 specimens (59.5%).Conclusion: In the present series of patients with suspected tuberculosis other microorganisms were identified in 66 patients (26.2%) by SI. Thus, SI can exclude tuberculosis and provide alternative microbiological diagnoses in a significant minority of patients. However, no microorganisms were identified in 97 patients (38.5%). The management of this subgroup is challenging, particularly if the risk of bronchoscopy is high. Further investigation and perhaps empirical therapy requires careful consideration.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA1758.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).