Usefulness of Post-bronchoscopy Sputum Culture for Diagnosis of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease
10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e202
- Author:
Kang-Mo GU
1
;
Hye-Rin KANG
;
Jimyung PARK
;
Nakwon KWAK
;
Jae-Joon YIM
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2021;36(31):e202-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background:Bronchoscopy is recommended for patients with suspected nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) whose sputum culture results are consistently negative or from whom adequate sputum samples cannot be obtained. Post-bronchoscopy sputum (PBS) collection is recommended for patients with suspected tuberculosis who undergo bronchoscopy. However, it remains unclear whether PBS collection can increase the diagnostic yield of NTM-PD.
Methods:Patients with suspected NTM-PD who underwent diagnostic bronchoscopy from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2020 at the Seoul National University Hospital were included in the study. They were divided into the sputum culture-negative and scanty sputum groups.The results of mycobacterial cultures from bronchial washing specimens and PBS were compared between these groups.
Results:In total, 141 patients were included in the study; there were 39 and 102 patients in the sputum culture-negative and scanty sputum groups, respectively. Nontuberculous mycobacteria were cultured from bronchial washing specimens collected from 38.3% (54/141) of all patients (30.7% [12/39] patients in the sputum culture-negative group and 41.2% [42/102] patients in the scanty sputum group; P = 0.345). Nontuberculous mycobacteria were exclusively cultured from PBS collected from 3.5% (5/141) of all patients (7.7% [3/39] patients in the sputum culture-negative group and 2.0% [2/102] patients in the scanty sputum group; P = 0.255).
Conclusions:Additional PBS collection improved diagnostic yield marginally in patients with suspected NTM-PD who undergo bronchoscopy.
