Nonbronchoscopic Bronchoalveolar Lavage Improves Respiratory Culture Accuracy in Critically Ill Patients.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Diagnosis of pneumonia is challenging in critically ill, intubated patients due to limited diagnostic modalities. Endotracheal aspirate (EA) cultures are standard of care in many ICUs; however, frequent EA contamination leads to unnecessary antibiotic use. Nonbronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage (NBBL) obtains sterile, alveolar cultures, avoiding contamination. However, paired NBBL and EA sampling in the setting of a lack of gold standard for airway culture is a novel approach to improve culture accuracy and limit antibiotic use in the critically ill patients.

Design

We designed a pilot study to test respiratory culture accuracy between EA and NBBL. Adult, intubated patients with suspected pneumonia received concurrent EA and NBBL cultures by registered respirator

SUBMITTER: Jeng M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10656098 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature