Flexible bronchoscopy in nosocomial pneumonia.
In this article, an overview on the diagnostic performances of bronchoscopic techniques for the diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia is given with special emphasis on the inherent problems of the methodology of validation applied to different studies. The current evidence about the importance of bronchoscopic techniques for the outcome is reviewed. It is outlined that future prospects of bronchoscopic investigations mainly include the evaluation of its role in the reassessment of the patient with pneumonia not responding to the initial antimicrobial treatment.
Ewig
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine, Medizinische Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Torres
A
A
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents