Aspirin use is safe in patients undergoing transbronchial lung cryobiopsy

Aspirin has been shown to be safe for patients undergoing certain diagnostic bronchoscopy procedures, such as transbronchial biopsies and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration. However, there are no studies documenting the safety of aspirin in patients undergoing trans-bronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC).

To determine whether aspirin increases the risk of bleeding during or following TBLC.

172 consecutive patients undergoing TBLC were included in this retrospective cohort study. Data on demographic characteristics, comorbidities etc. were collected. Bleeding severity was defined by the intervention needed to stop the bleeding: mild-cold saline injection, moderate-adrenalin/hexakarpon injection, or severe - Intensive Care Unit admission after bronchoscopy.

Fifty-one patients (29.6 %) were under aspirin treatment at the time of TBLC. Overall, there was no significant difference between the aspirin and the control groups regarding the incidence of moderate-severe bleeding (41.2 % vs. 33.1 %, respectively, p.0.31). the Clopidogrel was found as a risk factor for increased bleeding when taken together with aspirin (Odds ratio = 9.8 (1.1-86), p = 0.013). When taken alone, clopidogrel was also found as a risk factor to increased bleeding, yet these results didn't reach significance due to low number of patients (fig. 1, N = 5, Odds ratio = 2.8 (0.46-17.35), p = 0.245). No difference was observed between the groups regarding additional post-procedural complications, including pneumothorax, hospitalizations, and mortality.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study examining bleeding risk of cryobiopsy under aspirin treatment. Based on our results, it seems safe to perform TBLC under aspirin treatment, except for patients who are concurrently treated with clopidogrel. Further research should be conducted to substantiate this conclusion.