Galactomannan Test in Suspected Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis Patients: An Evidence-based Case Report

Abstract

Background: Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis is a severe fungal infection with a high mortality rate. However, because the clinical and radiological images are non-specific and culture results take a long time and with unsatisfactory results, tests are needed with fast time and high accuracy, the diagnosis of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis is still difficult. The objective of this study was to assess the galactomannan test as a test tool to diagnose patients with suspected invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.

Methods: Articles were searched through three databases, (Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane) using keywords based on PICO components. Next, the title and abstract were filtered and duplicated were sorted using Mendeley. Sorting was carried out according to inclusion and exclusion criteria followed by critical review using methods according to the Center of Evidence-based Medicine, University of Oxford.

Results: There were three study that had quite good sensitivity values, namely with values between 71% -88% on examination with serum specimens so that this method could be used as a screening test because it produced quite good True Positive values. Likewise, the specificity results are quite good, namely 89%-98% when examining serum specimens, so this method can be used in the True Negative determination test. In the three studies there was high heterogeneity.

Conclusion: The galactomannan test could be an option in examining patients with suspected invasive pulmonary aspergillosis with the aim of making a diagnosis more quickly so that patients can receive antifungal treatment more quickly and precisely.

Keywords: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, galactomannan, diagnosis.