title: A comparison of mini-bronchoalveolar lavage and blind-protected specimen brush sampling in ventilated patients with suspected pneumonia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mini-bronchoalveolar lavage (m-BAL) and blind-protected brush sampling (b-PSB) are minimally invasive methods of diagnosing pneumonia in mechanically ventilated patients. The aim of this study was to compare these techniques in a prospective study at a medical and surgical intensive care unit in a university-affiliated community teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and ninety episodes of pneumonia was suspected in 175 mechanically ventilated patients. Sequential b-PSB followed by m-BAL were performed by respiratory therapists who had undergone specialized training. A b-PSB quantitative culture greater than 1,000 cfu/mL and a m-BAL greater than 10(4) cfu/mL was considered diagnostic of pneumonia. Colony counts between 500 and 1,000 cfu/mL and 5,000 - 10(4) cfu/mL, respectively, were considered borderline positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and ninety paired specimens were obtained from 175 patients. The diagnostic agreement between the two techniques was 90%. Sixty-six patients (37%) were considered to have bacterial pneumonia. In 108 episodes, patients were receiving concurrent antibiotics; pneumonia was diagnosed in 30 (27%) of these cases compared with 36 of 82 (43%) episodes off antibiotics (P = .03). In 6 episodes, m-BAL was negative and b-PSB was positive (1 patient receiving antibiotics). In 13 episodes, b-PSB was negative and m-BAL was positive (7 patients were receiving antibiotics). The b-PSB took 30 +/- 8 seconds to perform and was complicated by minor bleeding in 3 cases. The m-BAL took 5 +/- 2 minutes to perform, was considered easy in 105 cases, difficult/very difficult in 63, and failed in 2 patients. Significant coughing occurred in 98 patients with other minor reversible complications occurring in a further 20 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In mechanically ventilated patients with suspected pneumonia both b-PSB and m-BAL can be performed safely by respiratory therapists. The tests complement each other and likely reduce the number of false-negative results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, USA.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Marik
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Careau
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D003422:Critical Care; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012138:Respiratory Therapy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation*