The value of galactomannan detection in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in elderly patients with lung diseases / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo evaluate the role of galactomannan (GM) detection in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in elderly patients with lung diseases.MethodsThe elderly patients with lung diseases and suspected of having IPA were enrolled. BALF for culture and GM detection, and serum samples for GM detection were obtained from all participants.According to European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) with host factors, clinical criteria, mycological evidence and histological or cytopathological evidence, all patients were categorized into the proven, probable,possible and no IPA patients. The IPA patients were considered as IPA group while no IPA was considered as control group. ResultsAmong 76 enrolled elderly patients, 18 cases were diagnosed with IPA (1 proven, 11 probable and 6 possible), the remained 58 patients were as control group.Based on a GM index cutoff value of ≥0. 5, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for BALF were 83.3％, 82. 8％, 60.0％ and 94.1％, respectively; these variables in serum were 55.60％ , 91.4 ％, 66.7 ％ and 86.9％ , respectively. Using a GM index cutoff value of ≥1.0, the specificity and positive predictive value of both BALF GM and serum GM reached 100％, but the sensitivity and negative predictive value of BALF GM were higher than serum GM (66.7％ vs. 22.2％, 90.60％ vs. 80.60％, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis yielded a sensitivity of 83.4％ and a specificity of 96.6％ at a BALF GM index cutoff value of ≥0.725. ConclusionsGM detection in BALF seems to be a useful tool in the diagnosis of IPA in elderly patients with lung diseases,and could be widely used in future.