Respiratory Unit, Department of Health Sciences, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via A. Di Rudinì n.8, Milan, 20142, Italy.
Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit, Dept of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
BMC Pulm Med. 2023 May 22;23(1):178. doi: 10.1186/s12890-023-02477-6.
Bronchoscopy is a useful technique adopted in the management of patients with COVID-19. 10-40% of COVID-19 survivors experience persistent symptoms. A comprehensive description of the utility and safety of bronchoscopy in the management of patients with COVID-19 sequelae is lacking. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of bronchoscopy in patients with suspected post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.
An observational, retrospective study was carried out in Italy. Patients requiring bronchoscopy for suspected COVID-19 sequelae were enrolled.
45 (21, 46.7%, female) patients were recruited. Bronchoscopy was more frequently indicated for patients with a previous critical disease. The most frequent indications were tracheal complications, mostly performed in patients who were hospitalized during the acute phase than treated at home (14, 48.3% VS. 1, 6.3%; p-value: 0.007) and persistent parenchymal infiltrates, more frequent in those treated at home (9, 56.3% VS. 5, 17.2%; p-value: 0.008). 3 (6.6%) patients after the first bronchoscopy required higher oxygen flow. Four patients were diagnosed with lung cancer.
Bronchoscopy is a useful and safe technique in patients with suspected post-acute sequelae of COVID-19. The severity of acute disease plays a role in the rate and indications of bronchoscopy. Endoscopic procedures were mostly performed for tracheal complications in critical, hospitalized patients and for persistent lung parenchymal infiltrates in mild-moderate infections treated at home.
支气管镜检查是 COVID-19 患者管理中一种有用的技术。10-40%的 COVID-19 幸存者存在持续症状。缺乏对支气管镜检查在 COVID-19 后遗症管理中的效用和安全性的全面描述。本研究旨在评估支气管镜检查在疑似 COVID-19 后急性后遗症患者中的作用。
在意大利进行了一项观察性、回顾性研究。招募了因疑似 COVID-19 后遗症而需要支气管镜检查的患者。
共纳入 45 例（21 例，46.7%，女性）患者。支气管镜检查更多地用于既往重症疾病患者。最常见的适应证是气管并发症，这些患者大多在急性阶段住院治疗，而不是在家中治疗（14 例，48.3%与 1 例，6.3%；p 值：0.007），持续性肺实质浸润更常见于在家中治疗的患者（9 例，56.3%与 5 例，17.2%；p 值：0.008）。第一次支气管镜检查后有 3 例（6.6%）患者需要更高的氧气流量。4 例患者被诊断为肺癌。
支气管镜检查是疑似 COVID-19 后急性后遗症患者的一种有用且安全的技术。急性疾病的严重程度与支气管镜检查的频率和适应证有关。在重症、住院患者中，内镜操作主要用于气管并发症，而在轻症至中度感染在家中治疗的患者中，主要用于持续性肺部实质浸润。
