Risk of bleeding associated with transbronchial biopsy using flexible bronchoscopy in patients with echocardiographic or chest CT evidence of pulmonary hypertension

Table 1 Characteristics of the patients (n = 314)

Characteristic	Value
Age, years
Median (range)	71 (38–88)
< 75	222 (70.7)
≥ 75	92 (29.3)
Sex
Male	192 (61.1)
Female	122 (38.9)
BMI, kg/m²
Median (range)	23 (14.3–42.1)
< 25	215 (68.5)
≥ 25	99 (31.5)
Smoking
Former	163 (51.9)
Current	81 (25.8)
Never	70 (22.3)
Antiplatelet agent administration^a
Yes	58 (18.5)
No	256 (81.5)
Anticoagulant agent administration^a
Yes	19 (6.1)
No	295 (93.9)
Lesion size (long diameter), mm
Median (range)	25 (7–92)
< 30	187 (59.6)
≥ 30	127 (40.4)
Lesion location^b
Central	37 (11.8)
Peripheral	277 (88.2)
Lesion location
Right upper lobe	100 (31.8)
Middle lobe	22 (7.0)
Lower lobe	65 (20.7)
Left upper lobe	68 (21.7)
Lower lobe	59 (18.8)
Bronchoscopic diagnosis
Lung cancer and other malignancy	182 (58.0)
Benign	34 (10.8)
Unspecific	98 (31.2)
Final diagnosis
Lung adenocarcinoma	159 (50.6)
Lung squamous cell carcinoma	42 (13.4)
Lung small cell carcinoma	12 (3.8)
Others (malignant)	39 (12.4)
Others (benign)	40 (12.7)
Undiagnosed^c	22 (7.0)
Additional biopsy after GS removal^d
Yes	48 (15.3)
No	266 (84.7)

Values are No. (%) or as otherwise indicated
BMI Body mass index, GS guide sheath
^aAll cases set a drug holiday in accordance with the regulations of our department (Additional file 1: Table S1)
^bCentral lesion was defined as the lesion with bronchus sign positive localized inner than segmental bronchus
^cCases where EBUS-GS guided TBB did not lead to a specific diagnosis and follow-up chest CT was required
^dAdditional biopsy to obtain larger specimens using a Radial Jaw 4 Standard Pulmonary Biopsy Forceps® 1.8 mm (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA, USA) or a Cryotherapy instrument, ERBE-CRYO2® (ERBE, Tubingen, Germany), with a flexible cryoprobe (1.9 mm diameter and 1,150 mm in length) after GS removal

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