The utility of bronchoalveolar lavage beta-D-glucan testing for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To investigate the utility of beta-D-glucan (BDG) testing in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infection (IFI), as compared to BAL galactomannan (GM).

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 132 consecutive patients at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in whom BAL BDG testing was performed for diagnosis of pneumonia. Using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group guidelines, we determined which patients had proven or probable IFI, and assessed the diagnostic performance of BAL BDG testing, relative to BAL GM. We also determined the reproducibility of the BDG assay in BAL via repeat testing of patient samples.

Results

Ten patients had Pneumocystis pneumonia,

SUBMITTER: Rose SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4127351 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature