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Bronchoscopy in Patients With Known or Suspected COVID-19: Results From the Global Pandemic SARS-CoV-2 Bronchoscopy

Gustavo Cumbo-Nacheli1, Henri Colt2, Abhinav Agrawal3

  • 1Spectrum Health, Michigan State University School of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI.

Journal of Bronchology & Interventional Pulmonology
|March 23, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Bronchoscopy in COVID-19 patients offers clinical benefits, aiding diagnosis and management in about half of cases. However, the procedure carries risks, particularly for critically ill patients with organ failure.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • The benefits and risks of bronchoscopy during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were uncertain.
  • Practices, diagnostic yields, and adverse events needed characterization for patients with known or suspected COVID-19.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize bronchoscopy practice patterns, diagnostic yields, and adverse events in patients with known or suspected COVID-19.
  • To assess the clinical utility and safety of bronchoscopy in a pandemic setting.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of the Global Pandemic SARS-CoV-2 Bronchoscopy Database (GPS-BD).
  • Data collected via online survey from bronchoscopists regarding procedures performed between March 20 and August 20, 2020.
  • Anonymized data from 289 patients across 26 countries.

Main Results:

  • Bronchoscopy was performed for diagnostic (57%) and therapeutic (25%) intents.
  • Diagnostic yield resulted in a diagnosis in 52% and management changes in 48% of diagnostic cases.
  • Complications or clinical decline occurred in 8% of cases, including one death, particularly in critically ill patients.

Conclusions:

  • Bronchoscopy provides reasonable clinical benefit in patients with COVID-19, aiding diagnosis and management.
  • The procedure is associated with risks, especially for patients with comorbidities, organ failure, or critical illness.
  • Findings from this international database offer generalizable insights into bronchoscopy use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abstract

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