Timely and accurate diagnosis of pathogens plays important role in the controlling of infectious respiratory diseases.Serum detection of specific antibodies against pathogens could indirectly determine the infection and immune status.Serodiagnosis includes enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,indirect immunofluorescence assay,hemagglutination inhibition test,neutralization test and others.Studies showed that indirect immunofluorescence assay had its technique advantages and diagnostic value.Combining with other methods,immunofluorescence assay would offer objective and comprehensive etiological results for clinical practice.

Cytomegalovirus is the most common pathogen resulting in pulmonary pneumonia in the immunocompromised host.The clinical manifestation of cytomegaloviral pneumonia shows acute onset of illness and rapid progress.It will develop to acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome in several days if delaying the diagnosis and proper intervention.It also shows high mortality and poor prognosis.It plays a very important role for the laboratory pathogen assay to make the confirmed diagnosis.Regarding to the therapeutic strategies,early administration of gancyclovir with intravenous immunoglobin is a recommended cocktail intervention,which could improve the prognosis and decrease the mortality.Combination of antibiotics is usually not recommended except with confirmed bacterial infection or invasive mechanical ventilation in order to refrain from making a further complicated situation.

Objective To explore the correlation between the levels of nitrite/nitrate(NO2/NO3) in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and pulmonary infection in mechanically ventilated patients.Methods The clinical data from ventilated patients in critical care units of Peking University People' s Hospital from November 2006 to August 2007 were collected and analyzed.The patients' clinical pulmonary index score (CPIS) were calculated.EBC of those patients were collected via endotracheal tube or tracheostomy cannula, and the concentrations of NO2/NO3 were assayed.The level of NO2/NO3 in different CPIS patients in 24 hours' ventilation,weaning proportion in 3 days and mortality in different NO2/NO3 level patients were compared.The correlation of the CPIS and level of NO2/NO3 were explored between survival and non-survival patients.Results A total of 76 patients were enroled.The NO2/NO3 levels in patients of CPIS≤3 ,CPIS 3-6 and CPIS >6 in 24 hours of ventilation were (23.31±5.79), (28.72±9.10) and (35.42±12.10) μmoL/L respectively, with significantly differences between each other (P < 0.01).The lower the patients' concentration of NO2/NO3 was, the earlier the weaning and the lower the mortality were.The NO2/NO3 levels on 4th and 7th day were detected in 24 survival patients and 23 non-survival patients.The difference of NO2/ NO3 levels between the survival patients and non-survival patients became significant on 7th day [(29.32±9.52) μmol/L vs.(37.22±12.03) μmol/L, P < 0.01].Linear correlation analysis showed that the NO2/ NO3 level was positively correlated with CPIS (r = 0.76, P < 0.01).Condusions The NO2/NO3 level of EBC in ventilated patients is positively correlated to the severity of pulmonary infection, thus may be used as a new predictor for weaning and prognosis.

Objective To explore the current therapeutic strategy for community acquired pneumonia(CAP) in the tertiary hospitals in Beijing district,and provide the evidence-based medicine for recommending application of Chinese community acquired pneumonia(CAP) guideline in our country widely.Methods The data of 225 hospitalized CAP patients from July 1st,2002 to June 30,2004 was documented retrospectively. The patient's situation was scored by either Chinese CAP guideline or Fine's risk classification.The data was analyzed with SPSS 10.0 to identify the correlation between the results evaluated by the two guidelines,and the differences of the combining use of antibiotics and antibiotic selection between group 1 and group 2 classified by Chinese CAP guideline.Results There was a significantly statistical correlation between the two guidelines(P=0.0000).There was a significantly statistical difference both in alternative administration of single or combining antibiotics(P=0.0290) and alternative application of penicillin or the third generation of cephalosporins(P=0.0001,P=0.005,respectively) between hospitalized criteria mismatched and matched groups classified by Chinese CAP guideline.The ratio of using fluroquinolone in above two groups was significantly high compared with other reagents,and there was no significant difference between them(P=0.182).Conclusion There is significant correlation between Chinese CAP guideline and Fine's risk classification.Chinese CAP guideline can be used to distinguish CAP from different risk levels.It is necessary to enforce and standardize the CAP diagnosis and treatment guideline widely.

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) in diagnosing lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in adult.MethodsIn a retrospective study,97 patients were enrolled,who admitted into Peking University People's Hospital with suspected LRTI from July to December 2008.During analysis,the subjects are categorized into groups of LRTI with sepsis,hospital-acquired pneumonia(HAP),community-acquired pneumonia(CAP),acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive lung disease (AECOPD),other LRTI and non-infectious diseases.In these cases,the following parameters were assessed regularly,such as white blood cell count,erythrocyte sedimentation rate( ESR),C-reactive protein (CRP),PCT,bacterial culture of both sputum and blood,and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE)Ⅱ score.PCT levels were determined using antibody-coated tubes as a complete diagnostic-kit (LUMI test Pro-Calcitonin) in a Luminometer.ResultsMean PCT levels in groups of LRTI with sepsis, hospital-acquired pneumonia ( HAP ), community-acquired pneumonia ( CAP ), acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive lung disease( AECOPD),other LRTI,non-infectious diseases were 10.1 (0.7 -37.0),0.3(0.1 -0.8),0.2(0.1 -0.9),0.2(0.1 -0.4),0.3(0.1 -0.5),0.1 (0.1 -0.2) mg/L,respectively.There were statistical differences between these groups (H =19.898,P ＜ 0.01 ).And the PCT levels in groups of LRTI with sepsis,HAP,CAP,AECOPD,other LRTI were higher than group of non-infectious diseases ( U values were 0,18.000,81.000,20.000,all P ＜ 0.01 ).Patients with sepsis exhibited strongly higher PCT levels than patients with other lung diseases ( U values were 11.000,45.000,3.000,4.500,all P ＜ 0.01 ).Pearson correlation analysis of PCT levels with positive bacterial cultures and APACHE Ⅱ score was performed ( r =0.449).ROC analysis revealed that optimal discrimination between LRTI and non-infectious diseases could be performed at the cut-off point of 0.5 mg/L with a sensitivity of 32.6％ and specificity of 100％,while at a suggested cut-off point of 0.235 mg/L with a sensitivity of 53.9％ and specificity of 100％.Conclusions PCT is a more useful parameter for diagnosing lower respiratory tract infections( especially for those with sepsis) than other infectious markers such as CRP,ESR and white blood cell count.The sensitivity of PCT could be elevated with a reduction of the cut-off level.

To investigate the clinical significance of serum soluble programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). A total of 44 CAP patients, 54 severe CAP patients and 30 healthy volunteers were recruited in this study. Serum soluble PD-L1 were detected. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the influence of multiple clinical variables on prognosis. Serum soluble PD-L1 level in severe CAP group was 98.20(57.94, 128.90) ng/L, which was significantly higher than that in the CAP group [59.32(33.55, 92.58) ng/L] and healthy controls [20.44(12.15, 36.20) ng/L] (all P<0.001). PD-L1 level was positively correlated with CRUB-65( r=0.481, P<0.001) and the pneumonia severity index (PSI) score ( r=0.442, P<0.001). Univariate regression analysis showed that CURB-65 ( HR=2.544, 95% CI 1.324-4.889, P=0.005), PSI score ( HR=1.036, 95% CI 1.012-1.061, P=0.004), soluble PD-L1( HR=1.013, 95% CI 1.001-1.026, P=0.041) were risk factors of mortality during hospitalization. Multivariate regression analysis suggested that PSI score ( HR=1.042, 95% CI 1.012-1.073, P=0.005), soluble PD-L1 ( HR=1.011, 95% CI 1.002-1.071, P=0.020) were independent predictors for mortality risk in CAP patients. CAP patients with soluble PD-L1≥98.20 ng/L had a significantly lower survival rate than those with soluble PD-L1<98.20 ng/L ( P=0.033). In conclusion, this study indicates that serum soluble PD-L1 level in CAP patients is correlated with the survival prognosis.

65yrs, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, etc; of which 7 were independent risk factors associated with death (P

OBJECTIVE To investigate the value of fibrobronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage in etiologic diagnosis of pneumonia in immunocompromised patients.METHODS The clinical document and results of fibrobronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage in 36 immunocompromised patients with pneumonia were retrospectively analyzed,whose conditions were mainly after organ transplantation and hematologic neoplasia.RESULTS Through fibrobronchoscopy and(or) bronchoalveolar lavage,22 cases(61.1%) were etiologically diagnosed.In 19 cases taking cytomegalovirus(CMV) quantitative PCR test of both peripheral blood and BALF,the positive rate of blood and BALF was 14.3% and 42.9%,respectively(P

Objective To improve the understanding and diagnosis of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (PLAM) by the comprehensive review of domestic literatures in the past ten years.Methods Three new cases with PLAM were reported and integraed with other 45 cases reported domestically in the past ten years for analysis of their clinical features.Results The newly reported three cases of PLAM were all women at child-bearing age, with initial symptom of dyspnea after activity. Two of them complicated with extra-pulmonary PLAM. All the three cases were free of chylous effusion. Forty-seven of 48 cases with PLAM were pathologically diagnozed, with ages of onset of 5~69 (mean?s of 34?10) years. Their clinical manifestations were mainly respiratory, including dyspnoea (95.8%), haemoptysis (52.1%), pneumothorax (45.8%), chylous effusion (33.3%),cough (31.3%) and chest pain (12.5%). Abnormal manifestations in abdomen, including renal mass, retroperitoneal mass and retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy, were detected in 16 cases. Thirty-nine cases had their high-resolution CT (HRCT) examined and appearance of multiple cysts distributed throughout the bilateral lung fields could be discerned in 38 of them. Obstructive ventilation disturbance could be observed in 23 of 30 cases with the data or conclusions on pulmonary function tests, and mixed ventilation disturbance in seven cases. Respiratory failure was complicated in 17 of 28 cases with the data of arterial blood gas analyses.Conclusions HRCT had confirmative value for diagnosis of PLAM. In practice, HRCT, as well as other routine abdominal and pelvic imaging examinations, should be performed in time for child-bearing-age women with progressive dyspnoea, haemoptysis, or spontaneous pneumothorax, to detect if they complicate with PLAM.

Objective: To investigate the protective factors and risk factors of nosocomial infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) among health care workers (HCWs) , and thus provide the scientific basis for prevention and control of nosocomial infection. Methods: With the case-control study,a standardized questionnaire was used for data collection in three general hospitals where nosocomial infection had occurred. Univariate analysis was done at first. All concerned factors about SARS infection were scanned by using Chi-square test and Fisher' s exact test one by one, and determined as to whether they were risk factors or protective factors according to odd ratio (OR) score. Then, multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to re-analyze the picked-out factors for finding out which factors played independent roles. Results: Twenty-two factors (nineteen protective factors and three risk factors), among the total fifty-six factors, were significantly associated with SARS infection. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression revealed that factors such as double exposure suits ( OR = 0.053 ), education ( OR =0.072), gloves ( OR =0.102), hands sterilized by iodine ( OR =0.231 ), room air ventilation (OR = 0.32), were significantly protective; conversely, tracheal intubation ( OR = 30.793 ) was a significant risk factor. Conclusion: Strict defense and antisepsis measures were pivotal in preventing SARS infection among high-risk medical personnel. Education about associated knowledge and effective air ventilation were also important factors.