Prospective analysis of clinical characteristics and risk factors of postbronchoscopy fever.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the clinical characteristics of fever after fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) and to identify the independent risk factors of postbronchoscopy fever.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Tertiary care university hospital.


METHODS
Immunocompetent adults undergoing FOB between July 2001 and April 2002.


RESULTS
Five hundred eighteen adults were included in this study. The incidence of postbronchoscopy fever was 5%, and the mean onset time of the fever was 8.7 +/- 1.1 h after FOB (mean +/- SEM). In most cases, the fever subsided spontaneously within a day, with a mean fever duration of 14.0 +/- 3.1 h. No organisms were isolated from blood culture specimens drawn at the time of fever, although significant increases in total leukocytes and neutrophil counts were observed in the peripheral blood at the time of fever compared to levels prior to FOB. Univariate analysis showed that fever was related to multiple factors, such as the radiologic extent of involvement, consolidation, abnormal bronchoscopic findings, biopsy, lavage, the amount of saline solution or drug administered, the duration of the procedure, the severity of bleeding, and a final diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. However, after multivariate analysis, the final diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and the severity of bleeding were identified as independent risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Fever after FOB occurs relatively frequently but transiently in immunocompetent adults. Independent risk factors for the development of this complication seem to be related to the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and the severity of bleeding during FOB.
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, South Korea.
Sang-Won
SW
Um
Chang-Min
CM
Choi
Choon-Taek
CT
Lee
Young Whan
YW
Kim
Sung Koo
SK
Han
Young-Soo
YS
Shim
Chul-Gyu
CG
Yoo
D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis