TABLE 2.

Accuracy of invasive diagnostic techniques for the diagnosis of VAP in adults and children^a

Age group and source (reference)	No. of patients	Diagnostic technique	Gold standard(s)	SE (%)	SP (%)
Adults
Rouby et al. (80)	26	Protected mini-BAL	Histopathology, lung tissue culture	70	69
Chastre et al. (13)	26	PSB	Histopathology, lung tissue culture	100	60
Fabregas et al. (30)	25	TBA	Histopathology, lung tissue culture	69	92
		Protected BAL		39	100
		BAL		77	58
		PSB		62	75
		Any invasive diagnostic technique		85	50
Children
Gauvin et al. (42)	10	BAL (104 CFU/ml)	Expert opinion; 2/3 blinded to BAL and PSB results	50	80
		Bacterial index >5		78	86
		ICB		30	95
		Endotracheal cultures		90	40
Labenne et al. (60)	29	BAL (104 CFU/ml)	(i) Positive pleural fluid culture, (ii) computed tomography scan with abscess, (iii) histopathology, (iv) lung tissue culture, (v) blood and tracheal aspirate positive for same organism without other source, (vi) expert opinion; 2/3 blinded to BAL/PSB	72	88
		PSB		69	95
		ICB on gram stain and + BAL		79	88
		ICB on gram stain and + BAL and + PSB		90	88

^aSE, sensitivity; SP, specificity; TBA, tracheobronchial aspirates; ICB, intracellular bacteria.