Bronchial colonisation is frequently reported in patients with lung cancer, and has a potential impact on therapeutic management and prognosis. We aimed to prospectively define the prevalence and nature of bronchial colonisation in patients at the time of diagnosing lung cancer.210 consecutive patients with lung cancer underwent a flexible bronchoscopy for lung cancer. The type and frequency of bacterial, mycobacterial and fungal colonisation were analysed and correlated with the patients' and tumours' characteristics.Potential pathogens were found in 48.1% of samples: mainly the Gram-negative bacilli Escherichia coli (8.1%), Haemophilus influenzae (4.3%) and Enterobacter spp. (2.4%); Gram-positive cocci, Staphylococcus spp. (12.9%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (3.3%); atypical mycobacteria (2.9%); Candida albicans (42.9%); and Aspergillus fumigatus (6.2%). Aged patients (p50.02) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p50.008) were significantly more frequently colonised; however, tumour stage, atelectasis, bronchial stenosis and abnormalities of chest radiography were not associated with a higher rate of colonisation. Squamous cell carcinoma tended to be more frequently colonised than other histological subtypes. Airway colonisation was reported in almost half of patients presenting with lung cancer, mainly in fragile patients, and was significantly associated with worse survival (p50.005).Analysing colonisation status of patients at the time of diagnosis may help improve the management of lung cancer. @ERSpublications Characteristics and impact of bronchial colonisation in patients at the time of lung cancer diagnosis

In cystic fibrosis patients, electrolytic and osmolality imbalance secondary to cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator mutations may impact on mucoid secretion accumulation and secondary colonization by opportunistic pathogens such as nontuberculous mycobacteria.We performed a noninvasive exploratory prospective controlled clinical study comparing sputum salinity and acid-base characteristics of cystic fibrosis and noncystic fibrosis control patients. A total of 57 patients and 62 controls were included.Sputum salt concentrations were 10.5 g/L (95% CI: 7.7–13.3) in patients and 7.4 g/L (95% CI: 5.9–8.9) in aged-matched controls, a difference that was found to be statistically significant (P < .05). No difference in pH was observed between patients and controls.These differences in respiratory secretions salt concentrations could influence host-pathogen interactions in the context of cystic fibrosis respiratory infections. We propose to include respiratory secretion salt measurement as a routine analysis on cystic fibrosis patients’ sputum submitted for bacterial culture.