Clinical Value of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Metagenomic Second-Generation Sequencing Combined with CRP and PCT in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Infection

YU Yali; ZHANG Guorui; CHEN Hongjie; WANG Jing; LIU Hong

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-437X.2025.13.009

Abstract：Objective To analyze the clinical significance of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid metagenomic second-generation sequencing(mNGS)combined with C-reactive protein(CRP)and procalcitonin(PCT)in the diagnosis of pulmonary infection.Methods The clinical data of 215 patients with suspected pulmonary infection in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from March 2021 to March 2023 were collected.The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was collected for mNGS detection,and the blood samples were collected for serum CRP and PCT examination.Taking the results of pathogenic microorganism culture as the gold standard,215 patients with suspected pulmonary infection were divided into infection group and non infection group.The positive detection rate of mNGS in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,serum levels of CRP and PCT were compared between the two groups.The relationship between mNGS in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,serum CRP,PCT and pulmonary infection was analyzed,and the clinical value of the three alone and combined diagnosis was discussed.Results Compared with the non infection group,the positive rate of mNGS in the alveolar lavage fluid of the infection group was higher(P＜0.05).Compared with the non infection group,the serum levels of CRP and PCT in the infection group were higher(P＜0.05).The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve results showed that the area under the curve(AUC)value,sensitivity and specificity of the combined detection of mNGS in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,serum levels of CRP and PCT in predicting pulmonary infection were higher than those of single detection.Conclusion The combined prediction of mNGS in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum levels of CRP,and PCT has high value in predicting pulmonary infection.Analysis combined with relevant results is helpful for clinical diagnosis of pulmonary infection.