Evaluation of the Binax NOW Streptococcus pneumoniae urinary antigen assay in intensive care patients hospitalized for pneumonia.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of Binax Now S. pneumoniae urinary antigen rapid immunochromatographic membrane test (ICT) for patients with suspicion of community-acquired pneumonia hospitalized in intensive care and to assess the impact of prior antibiotics on its diagnostic performance.

Design And Setting: Retrospective study in a medicosurgical ICU in a 700-bed general hospital.

Blind and bronchoscopic sampling methods in suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia. A multicentre prospective study.

Objective: To compare four sampling methods: blind tracheal aspirate (blind TA), blind protected telescoping catheter (blind PTC), bronchoscopic PTC and bronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage (bronchoscopic BAL), for diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

Design: Prospective multicentre study.

Setting: Five intensive care units in France.