Background: Pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is commonly used to help diagnose and characterize pneumonia in these patients. Mini-BAL is a less-invasive, less-costly and less-cumbersome diagnostic tool than BAL. Objectives: In this study, we compared the diagnostic value of BAL and mini-BAL in the evaluation of pneumonia in immunocompromised patients with respiratory failure. Methods: Sixty-four respiratory samples were collected from 32 immunocompromised patients admitted to our respiratory intensive care unit with a clinical diagnosis of pneumonia and respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. A single BAL sample and a single mini-BAL sample were collected from each patient. Samples were examined for bacteriologic, mycologic, mycobacteriologic, and viral organisms. Results: The mean age of the patients was 56.0 ± 14.4 years. Of the 32 BAL samples, bacterial isolates were detected in 11 patients (34.4%) and on the other hand bacterial isolates were detected in 10 patients (31.3%) of the mini-BAL samples. Fungal isolates were detected in 11 patients (34.4%) from BAL samples and 13 patients (40.6%) from mini-BAL samples. Our analysis demonstrated a strong positive correlation between the results of BAL and mini-BAL testing (r = 0.850 and r = 0.821, respectively). Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated a strong correlation between the isolation rates of bacteria and fungi in BAL and mini-BAL samples obtained from immunocompromised patients with pneumonia and respiratory failure. The data strongly support the use of mini-BAL sampling in such patients as a less-invasive, less-costly and simpler alternative to traditional BAL.

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Purpose: To accommodate the unprecedented number of critically ill patients with pneumonia caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) expansion of the capacity of intensive care unit (ICU) to clinical areas not previously used for critical care was necessary. We describe the global burden of COVID-19 admissions and the clinical and organizational characteristics associated with outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.Methods: Multicenter, international, point prevalence study, including adult patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a diagnosis of COVID-19 admitted to ICU between February 15th and May 15th, 2020.Results: 4994 patients from 280 ICUs in 46 countries were included. Included ICUs increased their total capacity from 4931 to 7630 beds, deploying personnel from other areas. Overall, 1986 (39.8%) patients were admitted to surge capacity beds. Invasive ventilation at admission was present in 2325 (46.5%) patients and was required during ICU stay in 85.8% of patients. 60-day mortality was 33.9% (IQR across units: 20%-50%) and ICU mortality 32.7%. Older age, invasive mechanical ventilation, and acute kidney injury (AKI) were associated with increased mortality. These associations were also confirmed specifically in mechanically ventilated patients. Admission to surge capacity beds was not associated with mortality, even after controlling for other factors.

Introduction: Impact of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) co-infection pneumonia in non-HIV patients with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is unclear. Objectives: The aim of our study was to determine whether CMV co-infection is associated with an increased risk of mortality. Methods: Our study was conducted at Ege University Hospital, Turkey. We used molecular assays to diagnose Pneumocystis jirovecii in respiratory samples, and CMV in both respiratory and blood samples. We compared morbidity and mortality stratified by CMV co-infection status. Results: Between 2009 and 2015, 43 patients (mean age: 56.7 ± 15.3 years) were diagnosed with PCP. Only 3 of 43 patients had received PCP prophylaxis. We microbiologically confirmed CMV co-infection in 28 of 43 (65.1%) patients. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and requirement of mechanical ventilation were more common in the CMV co-infection group (P = .019 and P = .031 respectively), and duration of intensive care unit was also longer (P = .006). In univariate analyses, mortality at 30 days was higher in the CMV co-infection group as compared to the group with PCP alone (78.6% and 46.7% respectively; P = .046). In multivariate analyses, mortality was independently associated only with the presence of ARDS [OR: 6.22 95% CI 1.3-29.32] and the association with CMV co-infection was no longer significant [OR: 2.6 95% CI 0.49-13.72, P = .257]. Conclusion: The risk of mortality appears to be increased in the setting of CMV and PCP co-infection in HIV-uninfected immunocompromised patients. PCP prophylaxis use was lower than expected, suggesting low physician awareness of the risks of PCP in this population. K E Y W O R D S cytomegalovirus (CMV), HIV-negative (non-HIV), mortality, Pneumocystis jirovecii, pneumonia | 2591 KORKMAZ EKREN et al.

BackgroundNoninvasive ventilation (NIV) is a cornerstone for the treatment of acute respiratory failure of various etiologies. Using NIV is discussed in mild-to-moderate acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients (PaO2/FiO2 > 150). These patients often have comorbidities that increase the risk for bronchoscopy related complications. The primary outcome of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety and contribution in diagnosis and/or modification of the ongoing treatment of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) in patients with ARDS treated with NIV.MethodsARDS patients treated with NIV and who require FOB as the diagnostic or therapeutic procedure were included the study. Intensive care ventilators or other dedicated NIV ventilators were used. NIV was applied via simple oro-nasal mask or full-face mask. Pressure support or inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP), external positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) or expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) levels were titrated to achieve an expiratory tidal volume of 8 to 10 ml/kg according to ideal body weight, SpO2 > 90 % and respiratory rate below 25/min.ResultsTwenty eight subjects (mean age 63.3 ± 15.9 years, 15 men, 13 women, PaO2/FiO2 rate 145 ± 50.1 at admission) were included the study. Overall the procedure was well tolerated with only 5 (17.9 %) patients showing minor complications. There was no impairment in arterial blood gas and cardiopulmonary parameters after FOB. PaO2/FiO2 rate increased from 132.2 ± 49.8 to 172.9 ± 63.2 (p = 0.001). No patient was intubated within 2 h after the bronchoscopy. 10.7, 32.1 and 39.3 % of the patients required invasive mechanical ventilation after 8 h, 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Bronchoscopy provided diagnosis in 27 (96.4 %) patients. Appropriate treatment was decided according to the results of the bronchoscopic sampling in 20 (71.4 %) patients.ConclusionFOB under NIV could be considered as a feasible tool for diagnosis and guide for treatment of patients with ARDS treated via NIV in intensive care units. However, FOB-correlated life-treathening complications in severe hypoxemia should not be forgotten. Furthermore, further controlled studies involving a larger series of homogeneous ARDS patients undergoing FOB under NIV are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

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Background/aim: The aim of this descriptive article is to share the experience in Ege University, Turkey with favipiravir in the treatment of severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Materials and methods: This retrospective descriptive study included patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who presented with or developed severe pneumonia. Results: Forty patients who completed a full course (at least 5 days) of favipiravir were included in the study. At baseline, 30 (75%) patients required treatment for respiratory distress. Thirty three patients (82.5%) were discharged from the hospital with full recovery, 6 patients (15%) died and 1 case (2.5%) was still at the ICU when this paper was written. Conclusion: This study provides relevant information for the treatment of COVID-19, suggesting that favipiravir was associated with significant clinical and laboratory improvements in the majority of the patients, is a safe drug with no serious side effects and would merit further investigation.

Objectives: To compare respiratory function, swallowing and voice quality of bilateral abductor vocal fold paralysis (BAVFP) patients undergoing laser and diathermyassisted posterior cordotomy.Design: Prospective study. Setting: Tertiary academic hospital.Participants: Thirty patients were included in the study (groups 1 and 2, 15 patients each There was a statistically significant improvement in FEV1, FEV1/FVC and PEF measurements at the postoperative sixth month compared to preoperative measurements in both of the groups (P < .05).Preoperative median voice quality VAS scores in groups 1 and 2 were 8 (IQR = 1) and 8 (IQR = 3), respectively. Postoperative sixth-month voice quality VAS scores in groups 1 and 2 were 6 (IQR = 1) and 6 (IQR = 0), respectively. Postoperative VAS scores were significantly lower in both groups (P < .05).The postoperative changes in fundamental frequency, NHR, jitter, shimmer, APQ and PPQ were not statistically significant in both of the groups (P > .05).Conclusions: Laser and diathermy-assisted posterior cordotomy are both minimally invasive, effective techniques with a long-term sufficient laryngeal airway. Despite lower quality of voice VAS scores, objective acoustic outcomes were not significantly lower in both of the groups.