ObjectivePulmonary infection is commonly seen in patients with rheumatic autoimmune disease (RAD).Sometimes bronchoscopy is used to obtain microorganisms.In order to improve diagnostic yield, the factors affecting diagnostic yield of bronchoscopy in obtaining microorganisms in RAD patients with pulmonary abnormality were analyzed retrospectively. MethodsA retrospective study was performed in RAD patients with lung infiltrates who received bronchoscopy for obtaining microorganisms at the Department of Rheumatology,Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2009 to June 2013.Patients characteristics,clinical symptoms,medication history,laboratory parameters,radiographic findings and locations where microorganisms were obtained were recorded. Results87 patients received 91 bronchoscopic exams,including 72 bronchoalveolar lavages,21 bronchial aspirates,and 72 bronchial brushes.The total diagnostic yield was 52.7%.The diagnostic yield was 71.4% with bronchoalveolar lavage,38.9% with bronchial aspirate,and 18.1% with bronchial brush.Diagnostic yield was significantly higher in the patients with clinical symptoms of fever,cough or expectoration compared with the patients without either symptoms (60.0%% vs.34.6%,P=0.028).The patients with CT finding of nodular,massive or consolidation had a higher diagnostic yield compared with those with CT findings of reticular,linear or ground glass opacity (61.8% vs.26.1%,P=0.003).Diagnostic yield was not affected by location of bronchoalveolar lavage (P=0.691). ConclusionRAD patients with fever,cough or sputum,and CT findings of nodular,massive or consolidation would get a higher diagnostic yield by bronchoscopy.
ObjectiveTo analyze the sensitivity of peak flow meter screening in different subgroups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). MethodsA total of 156 outpatients with COPD from Peking Union Medical Hospital from May 2013 to December 2014 were recruited in the study. Each patient's symptoms,history of exposure to risk factors,and the times of exacerbation in last year was recorded. All patients completed CAT,mMRC,the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ),6 minutes walking test,spirometry,and peak expiratory flow (PEF) by peak flow meter. ResultsUsing the cut-off of PEF%pred=80%,the PEF detected 120 COPD patients in 156 subjects. The predictive factors of abnormal PEF%pred in COPD was FEV1%pred and the total score of SGRQ (P<0.05). PEF screening could identify 76.9% of COPD patients,30.0%-60.0% of patients of less symptoms (mMRC<2 or CAT<10 or SGRQ<25),83.3%-90.9% of COPD patients with more symptoms (mMRC ≥ 2 or CAT ≥ 10 or SGRQ ≥ 25),27.7% of COPD patients with mild airflow limitation,68.5% of COPD patients with moderate airflow limitation,83.3% of COPD patients with moderate to very severe airflow limitation. When grouped by GOLD combined assessment method,PEF screening could identify 35.2% of patients of group A,75.0% of patients of group B,and 95.9% of patients of group C and D. The cut-off value of PEF% pred=80% showed low sensitivity to early stage of COPD,but when using the cut-off value of PEF% pred=95%,that sensitivity increased signifcantly. ConclusionsPeak flow meter may be used as a tool to screen COPD. It can identify part of COPD patients especially for those patients with more symptoms,requiring regular treatment,with deteriorated pulmonary function and high risk of exacerbation.