Mini-Bronchoalveolar Lavage for Diagnosing Coronavirus Disease 2019-Associated Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

To evaluate the yield of mini-bronchoalveolar lavage compared with that of directed bronchoalveolar lavage in critically ill patients with suspected coronavirus disease 2019-associated pulmonary aspergillosis.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

The ICU of the Amsterdam University Medical Centers.

PATIENTS

Patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 screened for coronavirus disease 2019-associated pulmonary aspergillosis.

INTERVENTIONS

Mini-bronchoalveolar lavage and/or directed bronchoalveolar lavage.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

In total, 76 patients were included, 20 of whom underwent bronchoalveolar lavage, 40 mini-bronchoalveolar lavage, and 16 both mini-bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchoalveolar lavage. The percentage of samples with one or more positive Aspergillus detecting test (galactomannan, culture, polymerase chain reaction) did not differ significantly between bronchoalveolar lavage and mini-bronchoalveolar lavage (16.7% vs 21.4%). However, in mini-bronchoalveolar lavage samples, this was more frequently driven by a positive polymerase chain reaction than in bronchoalveolar lavage samples (17.9% vs 2.8%; p = 0.030). In 81% of patients (13/16) with both mini-bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchoalveolar lavage, the test results were in agreement. In 11 of 12 patients (92%) with first a negative mini-bronchoalveolar lavage, the subsequent bronchoalveolar lavage sample was also negative.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a similar percentage of positive test results in mini-bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchoalveolar lavage samples in patients with suspected coronavirus disease 2019-associated pulmonary aspergillosis. Our findings indicate that mini-bronchoalveolar lavage could be a useful tool for coronavirus disease 2019-associated pulmonary aspergillosis screening in ICU patients.

Incidence of venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can lead to systemic coagulation activation and thrombotic complications.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the incidence of objectively confirmed venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

METHODS

Single-center cohort study of 198 hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

RESULTS

Seventy-five patients (38%) were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). At time of data collection, 16 (8%) were still hospitalized and 19% had died. During a median follow-up of 7 days (IQR, 3-13), 39 patients (20%) were diagnosed with VTE of whom 25 (13%) had symptomatic VTE, despite routine thrombosis prophylaxis. The cumulative incidences of VTE at 7, 14 and 21 days were 16% (95% CI, 10-22), 33% (95% CI, 23-43) and 42% (95% CI 30-54) respectively. For symptomatic VTE, these were 10% (95% CI, 5.8-16), 21% (95% CI, 14-30) and 25% (95% CI 16-36). VTE appeared to be associated with death (adjusted HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.02-5.5). The cumulative incidence of VTE was higher in the ICU (26% (95% CI, 17-37), 47% (95% CI, 34-58), and 59% (95% CI, 42-72) at 7, 14 and 21 days) than on the wards (any VTE and symptomatic VTE 5.8% (95% CI, 1.4-15), 9.2% (95% CI, 2.6-21), and 9.2% (2.6-21) at 7, 14, and 21 days).

CONCLUSIONS

The observed risk for VTE in COVID-19 is high, particularly in ICU patients, which should lead to a high level of clinical suspicion and low threshold for diagnostic imaging for DVT or PE. Future research should focus on optimal diagnostic and prophylactic strategies to prevent VTE and potentially improve survival.