Indicators for prediction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis positivity detected with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Background: The diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a challenge in clinic, especially for sputum negative pulmonary TB. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) has higher sensitivity than sputum for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). However, bronchoscopy is invasive and costly, and not suitable for all patients.

[Study of infusion of oxygen-enriched liquid to correct severe hypoxemia in infectious diseases: a report of pilot clinical study].

Objective: To investigate a new therapy for effectively correcting severe hypoxemia in patients with infectious diseases by infusion of oxygen-enriched liquid, in order to raise the partial pressure of blood oxygen without passing through pathologically damaged alveoli of such patients.

Methods: Intravenous drip with oxygen-enriched liquids was given to 6 cases suffering from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and 3 cases of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the course of treatment for 1 to 5 days, 500-700 ml per day.

Results: For all the 9 SARS cases, their hypoxemia was gradually corrected to normal in 20 minutes' or 4 hours' intravenous drip with oxygen-enriched liquid.