Sputum Gram Stain for Bacterial Pathogen Diagnosis in Community-acquired Pneumonia: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Accuracy and Yield.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The clinical role of sputum Gram stain (SGS) in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) diagnosis remains controversial. A 1996 meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of SGS reported heterogeneous results. To update the available evidence, we performed a systematic review and a Bayesian standard and latent-class model meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central by 23 August 2018 to identify studies reporting on the diagnostic accuracy, yield (percentage of patients with any pathogen[s] correctly identified by SGS), and clinical outcomes of SGS in adult patients with CAP. Two reviewers extracted the data. We quantitatively synthesized the diagnostic accuracy and yield, and descriptively analyzed other outcomes.

Results

Twenty-four s

SUBMITTER: Ogawa H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7384319 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature