Description of Bronchial Wash (BW) as a diagnostic procedure for presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis with sputum scarce at Mataram Regional Hospital

Background: Some patients with presumptive TB cannot be bacteriologically confirmed because sputum is scarce. Improvement in the diagnostic value of using bronchoscopy for specimen collection has been reported. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity, PCR examination is recommended as an initial diagnostic test in all individuals suspected of pulmonary TB. This study aims to describe the results of the BW examination using the PCR GeneXpert MTB/RIF test in these populations treated at Mataram Regional General Hospital. Methods: A descriptive study with secondary data collection from medical records at Mataram Regional General Hospital was conducted from July to December 2023. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 26. Data on age, gender, examination results, and rifampicin sensitivity levels were described as proportions. Results: A total of 143 patients were included in the analysis. Gender males (61.5%) and those aged 40-60 years (44.8%) were reported in this study. Of this examination, 89 (61.5%) patients reported positive, 52 (37.1%) negative, and 2 errors (1.4%). Based on the level of cycle threshold, it was reported that 16 patients (17.9%) were high, 12 patients (13.5%) were medium, 21 patients (23.6%) were low, and 40 patients (44.9%) were very low. No rifampicin resistance was reported in this study. Conclusion: More than 50% of presumptive pulmonary TB patients with sputum scarce were reported positive through the BW and GeneXpert MTB/RIF examinations. This examination is recommended especially for these populations to get faster antituberculosis treatment.