FOB in HSCT and Leukemia Patients With Acute Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Infiltrates

Overview

Pulmonary infiltrates frequently complicate the care of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and leukemia patients. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is frequently used to evaluate new pulmonary infiltrates in this population, however utility is limited by a historically low diagnostic yield for infection. In an effort to improve diagnostic yields, this study will complete a Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy (FOB) within 8 hours of radiographic documentation of pulmonary infiltrates, prior to initiating new antibiotic therapy. To further improve detection of microbiological pathogens, the study will utilize PCR testing with rapid turnaround time to detect atypical pneumonia (M pneumoniae, C. Pneumonia, Legionella species, and respiratory viruses) and aspergillosis.

Proper diagnosis and prompt treatment favorably impacts survival in the post transplant setting, but is often difficult and frequently results in inappropriate or late therapy. Low yields may be linked with empiric antibody therapy begun prior to the procedure, delayed time to procedure, procedure technique, the presence of graft versus host disease (GVHD), neutropenia, and diffuse infiltrates (as opposed to localized infiltrates or focal masses and nodules). One recent study found that early FOBs (less than or equal to 4 days between detection of pulmonary infiltrates and FOB) were 2.5 times more likely to establish a diagnosis of pneumonia compared to late examinations. Delaying this procedure(greater than 5 days between detection of pulmonary infiltrates and FOB) was associated with drug resistant organisms, polymicrobial infections, and worsened patient prognosis.