title: Galactomannan Testing and the Incidence of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis: A 10-Year Nationwide Population-Based Study in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical impact of the galactomannan (GM) test for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is controversial. Our study evaluated the incidence and trends of IPA and GM testing in patients with aspergillus infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a nationwide inpatient population study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 346 IPA (62.14% male) patients from the years 2002 to 2011 were identified for inclusion in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average incidence of IPA was 1.51 per million person-years. Over the study period, we observed an increasing trend from 0.94 to 2.06 per million person-years (P < 0.0001). We observed male predominance in IPA incidence (M/F: 1.85/1.15). Both males and females showed significantly increasing trends of IPA incidence over time (0.87 to 4.55 and 0.36 to 2.07 per million person-years for the males and females, respectively). GM testing for IPA significantly increased from 2002 to 2011, and the GM test was utilized more frequently for males than females. The increase in the incidence of IPA might be positively associated with the increase in GM testing over the past decade.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence rates of both IPA and GM testing have increased over time. GM testing is recommended for the early diagnosis of patients with suspected aspergillosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi City, Taiwan.|Chung-Jen Junior College of Nursing, Health Sciences and Management, Chiayi City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Shao
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi City, Taiwan.|Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Solomon Chih-Cheng
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yih-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wan-Chun
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005690:Galactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D055744:Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008351:Mannans; C012990:galactomannan; D005690:Galactose