@article { , title = {Evidence of mycobacterial disease in COPD patients with lung volume reduction surgery; the importance of histological assessment of specimens: A cohort study}, abstract = {© 2014 Char et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Background: Patients with COPD are at risk of non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection (NTM). This study examined the histology of lung tissue from COPD patients following lung volume reduction with particular focus on evidence of mycobacterial infection.Methods: Retrospective histological study of 142 consecutive lung volume reduction surgical specimens (126 separate patients) at Royal Brompton Hospital between 2000 - 2013, with prospectively collected preoperative data on exacerbation rate, lung function and body mass index.Results: 92\% of patients had at least one other histological diagnosis in addition to emphysema. 10\% of specimens had histological evidence of mycobacterial infection, one with co-existent aspergilloma. Mycobacteria were only identified in those patients with granulomas that were necrotising. These patients had higher exacerbation rates, lower TLCO and FEV 1 .Conclusion: A proportion of severe COPD patients will have evidence of mycobacterial infection despite lack of clinical and radiological suspicion. This may have implications for long-term management of these patients.}, doi = {10.1186/1471-2466-14-124}, eissn = {1471-2466}, issue = {1}, journal = {BMC Pulmonary Medicine}, pages = {1-7}, publicationstatus = {Published}, publisher = {BioMed Central}, url = {https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/813788}, volume = {14}, keyword = {COPD, lung volume reduction surgery, mycobacterial}, year = {2014}, author = {Loebinger, Michael R. and Clark, Samuel J. and Shaw, Emily C. and Nicholson, Andrew G. and Hansell, David M. and Hopkinson, Nick S. and Char, Anjali and Hansell, David M and Sedgwick, Philip and Wilson, Robert and Jordan, Simon} }