title: Diagnostic utility of flexible bronchoscopy in elderly patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the elderly population, diagnosis and initial treatment should be considered as soon as possible because of high disease incidence and complications. We aimed to evaluate the findings of flexible bronchoscopy (FB) and determine the diagnostic utility of FB in patients 65 years old and older.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated FB results. Demographic data, clinical and bronchoscopic findings, diagnostic procedures during FB and incidence of accurate diagnosis with FB both in patients 65 years old and older and in younger patients were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 745 patients [younger patients (<65 years, n = 378, F/M: 120/258) and older patients (≥65 years, n = 367, F/M: 88/279)] who underwent FB at our clinic between 2009 and 2012 were included. The mean age of older patients was 72.6 ± 5.8 years, while the mean age of younger patients was 50.9 ± 11.7 years. Overall, 188 older patients (51.2%) had an accurate diagnosis with the procedures used during bronchoscopy, and 179 younger patients (47.3%) had a final diagnosis with these procedures. The diagnostic utility of FB did not differ significantly between study groups (P = 0.291). During FB, 326 older patients (88.8%) had no complication, and 343 younger patients (90.7%) had no complications. No statistically significant difference was found between older and younger patients in terms of complications during FB (P = 0.389).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate the high diagnostic value of FB together with low complication rates in patients aged 65 years and older.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevinc
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarinc Ulasli
authors.forename: Ersin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gunay
authors.forename: Olcay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Akar
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Halici
authors.forename: Tulay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyuncu
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unlu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: complications; diagnostic utility; elderly; flexible bronchoscopy