[The place of bronchoalveolar lavage in the diagnosis of pneumonia in the immunocompromised patient]

INTRODUCTION

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was previously considered as the standard diagnostic procedure to investigate pneumonia occurring in immunocompromised patients, and it is probably still widely used. However, the development of new microbiological diagnostic tools, applicable to samples obtained non-invasively, leads to questioning of the predominant place of BAL in this situation.

BACKGROUND

The available studies agree on the acceptable tolerance of BAL performed in immunocompromised patients. Although imperfect, the diagnostic yield of BAL in immunocompromised patients is well established, but it may vary between studies depending on the underlying disease. However, it must also be compared to the yield of non-invasive microbiological tools, now widely available and effective. The position of BAL remains important both for the diagnosis of fungal infections (invasive aspergillosis, pneumocystis pneumonia) and non-infectious lung diseases both of which occur frequently in immunocompromised patients.

CONCLUSION

The place of BAL in the diagnostic work-up of pneumonia occurring in immunocompromised patients must be considered in the framework of a structured consideration, taking into account the diagnostic performance of non invasive microbiological tests and the broad spectrum of lung diseases occurring in this context.

[Bronchial thermoplasty in the treatment of severe adult asthma]

Bronchial thermoplasty is a recent endoscopic technique for the treatment of severe asthma. It is an innovative treatment whose clinical efficacy and safety are beginning to be better understood. Since this is a device-based treatment, the evaluation procedure of risks and benefits is different that for pharmaceutical products; safety aspects, regulatory requirements, study design and the assessment of the magnitude of effects may all be different. The mechanism of action and optimal patient selection need to be assessed further in rigorous clinical and scientific studies. This technique is in harmony with the development of personalised medicine in the 21st century. It should be developed further in response to the numerous challenges and needs not yet met in the management of severe asthma.

[How practical guidelines can be applied in poor countries? Example of the introduction of a bronchoscopy unit in Cambodia]

According to UN, Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the World. Respiratory diseases are current public health priorities. In this context, a new bronchoscopy unit (BSU) was created in the respiratory medicine department of Preah Kossamak hospital (PKH) thanks to a tight cooperation between a French and a Cambodian team. Aim of this study was to describe conditions of introduction of this equipment. Two guidelines for practice are available. They are respectively edited by the French and British societies of pulmonology. These guidelines were reviewed and compared to the conditions in which BS was introduced in PKH. Each item from guidelines was combined to a categorical value: "applied", "adapted" or "not applied". In 2009, 54 bronchoscopies were performed in PKH, mainly for suspicion of infectious or tumour disease. In total, 52% and 46% of the French and British guideline items respectively were followed in this Cambodian unit. Patient safety items are those highly followed. By contrast "staff safety" items were those weakly applied. Implementation of EBS in developing countries seems feasible in good conditions of quality and safety for patients. However, some recommendations cannot be applied due to local conditions.