Table 3.
Success in yielding sputum from 364 patients with the 2 techniques used and the microbiological results obtained
| Physiotherapy techniques (%) | Induced sputum (%) | Totals (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total number patients treated | 239 | 125* | 364 |
| Unable to procure sputum from patient | 8 (3)a | 3 (2)a | 353 (97 |
| Sputum induction discontinued due to adverse effects | 0 | 3 (2)b | 3 (1) |
| Positive bacterial and/or fungal culture | 76 (32) | 29 (23) | 105 (30) |
| Positive Aspergillus PCR | 54 (23 %) | 28 (22 %) | 82 (23) |
| Strongly positive Aspergillus PCR (Ct <36) | 41 (76 %) | 18 (64 %) | 58 (16) |
| Aspergillus cultured | 13 (5 %) | 3 (2 %) | 16 (5) |
| Hyphae consistent with Aspergillus spp. seen on sputum microscopy | 11 (5 %) | 7 (6 %) | 18 (5) |
* 1 patient required N-acetylcysteine. a patient declined; b patients wheezy
PCR polymerase chain reaction