Tuberc Respir Dis.  1989 Dec;36(4):310-319. 10.4046/trd.1989.36.4.310.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Correlations between Bronchoalveolar Cellular Constituents and the Pathologic, Physiologic and Radiographic Features and Response to Treatment

• KMID: 2528523
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1989.36.4.310

Abstract

Analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage cellular constituents has been recommended as a useful method for determination of immune and inflammatory cellular population. prognosis and activity of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (I PF). But the clinical relevance of the determination of cellular populations of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis remains controversial. We examined bronchoalveolar lavage profiles and correlations with both the pathologic. physiologic and radiologic severity and the responsiveness to corticosteroid treatment from 21 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, including 5 patients associated with connective tissue disease. The BALF cellular constituents. physiologic impairments and the histologic abnormalities were identical between PF and IPF associated with connective tissue disease. In patients with IPF, BALF total cell counts and the proportions of Iymphocyte, neutrophil, and eosinophil were increased. And the BALF cellular constituents did not correlated significantly with physiologic, radiologic and pathologic severity. The initial BALF Iymphocytosis and lower eosinophil count was associated with responsiveness to corticosteroid treatment. We suggest that even in the case of advanced pulmonary destruction with BALF lymphocytosis, there is considerablely reversible component with corticosteroid treatment. In conclusion, cellular constituents in BALF was not consistently related to pathologic, radiologic and physiologic severity. And BALF lymphocytosis would be regarded as a indication of better prognosis with corticosteroid treatment.