Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33941134›Full record

ArticleBMC pulmonary medicine2021

The value of transbronchial lung biopsy in the diagnosis of lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Wenshuai Xu, Han Cui, Hongrui Liu, Ruie Feng, Xinlun Tian, Yanli Yang, Kai-Feng Xu

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pulmonary medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 42% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Brazilian Thoracic Association recommendations for the management of lymphangioleiomyomatosis.Jornal brasileiro de pneumologia : publicacao oficial da Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisilogia · 2025
    Guideline
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Wenshuai Xu *Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Han Cui *Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Hongrui LiuDepartment of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Ruie FengDepartment of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Xinlun TianDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Yanli YangDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China. iamyyl@126.com.
Kai-Feng XuDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China. xukf@pumch.cn.
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CNPeking Union Medical College Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTransbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) in the diagnosis of lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is not a common approach, although TBLB is often performed in diffuse lung diseases. We aimed to examine the diagnostic value and safety of TBLB in LAM patients based on the data collected in our center.

methodsWe reviewed LAM patients registered in our LAM Clinic from December 8, 2006, to December 31, 2019. All patients with definite or probable diagnosis of LAM who had been examined using TBLB were included. All available pathology slides were reviewed by an experienced LAM pathologist. All complications were reviewed by the medical records and confirmed using telephone interviews.

resultsThe pathology results of 86 patients (including 74 definite LAM and 12 probable LAM) were available. The positive rate of TBLB in LAM patients was 49/86 (57.0%). The positive rates of SMA, HMB-45, ER, and PR in LAM patients were 97.6%, 93%, 84.6%, and 78.4% respectively. The positive rate of TBLB was 40%, 60% and 60.8% in patients with CT Grade I, Grade II, and Grade III respectively, and the difference was not significant. Patients who had 3-4 or 5-6 biopsied specimens had a higher rate of diagnosis than those with 1-2 biopsied specimens. Four patients (5.6%) reported pneumothorax. No major hemoptysis was reported.

conclusionsTBLB is a feasible and safe procedure for obtaining a pathological diagnosis of LAM. Taking more than 2 samples during the biopsy procedure increased the rate of diagnosis.

Indexed as

AdultBiopsyBronchoscopyFemaleHumansLung DiseasesLymphangioleiomyomatosisMiddle AgedPneumothoraxBiopsyDiagnosisLymphangioleiomyomatosisPathologyTransbronchial lung biopsy

Identifiers

PMID33941134
PMCPMC8091759
OpenAlexW3158441727

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.