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Thorax 56:379-387 doi:10.1136/thorax.56.5.379
  • Original article

Pulmonary infiltrates in non-HIV immunocompromised patients: a diagnostic approach using non-invasive and bronchoscopic procedures

Table 5

Impact of diagnostic techniques on the treatment of pulmonary infiltrates5-150

Diagnostic technique No positive/
no performed (%)
Modification of
treatment, n (%)
Blood cultures 30/191  (16%) 4  (5%)
CMV antigen detection 11/91 (12%) 5 (5%)
Aspergillus antigen detection 8/54 (15%) 1 (1%)
NPW 9/50 (18%) 1 (1%)
Sputum 27/88 (31%) 11 (12%)
FBAS 16/28 (57%) 4 (4%)
TBAS 35/55 (64%) 24 (26%)
PSB 30/125 (24%) 2 (2%)
BAL 68/135 (51%) 35 (38%)
TBB 6/11 (55%) 4 (4%)
VTC biopsy 2/2 (100%) 2 (2%)
  • NPW = nasopharyngeal wash; FBAS = fibrobronchial aspirate; TBAS = tracheobronchial aspirate; PSB = protected specimen brush; BAL = bronchoalveolar lavage; TBB = transbronchial biopsy; VTC = videothoracoscopic.

  • 5-150 In some patients treatment changes were due to the results obtained with several diagnostic procedures simultaneously.

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