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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Methodology for Sputum Induction and Laboratory Processing
13:28

Methodology for Sputum Induction and Laboratory Processing

Published on: December 17, 2017

Induced sputum in the very young: a new key to infection and inflammation

Huda Mussaffi1, Elizabeth M Fireman, Meir Mei-Zahav

  • 1Pulmonary Unit and the Kathy and Lee Graub Cystic Fibrosis Center, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel.

Chest
|November 9, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Induced sputum (IS) testing is a safe and feasible method for diagnosing lung diseases in young children. This noninvasive technique helps evaluate early airway inflammation and can guide new therapies for conditions like cystic fibrosis.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Diagnostic Microbiology
  • Inflammatory Biomarkers

Background:

  • Chronic inflammation and infection in pediatric lung diseases necessitate early, noninvasive diagnostic tools.
  • Induced sputum (IS) testing, effective in older patients, was adapted for young children who cannot expectorate spontaneously.
  • Early diagnosis is crucial for managing lung diseases in children, including cystic fibrosis (CF).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the feasibility, safety, and clinical utility of induced sputum (IS) testing in young, non-expectorating children.
  • To compare IS results with oropharyngeal cough swabs (OCSs) in a subgroup of patients.
  • To validate IS as a diagnostic tool for early airway inflammation in pediatric lung diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Induced sputum (IS) was collected via nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal suction after inhaling 4.5% saline solution.
  • Paired oropharyngeal cough swabs (OCSs) were collected in a subgroup for comparison.
  • Specimens from 20 CF children (median age, 3 years) and 8 non-CF children were analyzed for bacterial cultures and inflammatory markers.

Main Results:

  • The IS procedure was safe, maintaining arterial oxygen saturation above 96%.
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa was cultured from 30% of CF patients and none of the non-CF subjects.
  • A significant correlation was found between inflammatory markers (neutrophil elastase, IL-8, neutrophils), confirming IS validity for assessing early airway disease.

Conclusions:

  • Induced sputum (IS) testing is feasible, safe, and clinically useful in young children.
  • This noninvasive method can serve as a valuable outcome measure for evaluating new therapeutic strategies in pediatric lung diseases.
  • IS testing provides a reliable method for assessing airway inflammation in young patients with conditions like cystic fibrosis.
Abstract

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