Incidence of Fever Following Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration

• Published in: Tuberculosis and respiratory diseases 2017, 80(1), 368, pp.45-51
• Main Authors: Kim, Seo Yun, Lee, Jin Woo, Park, Young Sik, Lee, Chang-Hoon, Lee, Sang-Min, Yim, Jae-Joon, Kim, Young Whan, Han, Sung Koo, Yoo, Chul-Gyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original; 내과학
• ISSN: 1738-3536; 2005-6184
• DOI: 10.4046/trd.2017.80.1.45

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive diagnostic method for mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of fever following EBUS-TBNA. A total of 684 patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA from May 2010 to July 2012 at Seoul National University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were evaluated for fever by a physician every 6-8 hours during the first 24 hours following EBUS-TBNA. Fever was defined as an increase in axillary body temperature over 37.8℃. Fever after EBUS-TBNA developed in 110 of 552 patients (20%). The median onset time and duration of fever was 7 hours (range, 0.5-32 hours) after EBUS-TBNA and 7 hours (range, 1-52 hours), respectively, and the median peak body temperature was 38.3℃ (range, 37.8-39.9℃). In most patients, fever subsided within 24 hours; however, six cases (1.1%) developed fever lasting longer than 24 hours. Infectious complications developed in three cases (0.54%) (pneumonia, 2; mediastinal abscess, 1), and all three patients had diabetes mellitus. The number or location of sampled lymph nodes and necrosis of lymph node were not associated with fever after EBUS-TBNA. Multiple logistic regression analysis did not reveal any risk factors for developing fever after EBUS-TBNA. Fever is relatively common after EBUS-TBNA, but is transient in most patients. However, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of infectious complications among patients with diabetes mellitus.