title: Diagnostic value of hemosiderin-containing macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to determine if the hemosiderin content of BAL macrophages allows us to draw any differential diagnostic conclusions in a variety of lung diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred one patients who underwent BAL for different diagnostic reasons were studied prospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest values for the hemosiderin score (HS) were found in patients with active alveolar hemorrhage and patients who had undergone heart transplantation for congestive heart failure. Compared to a control population, patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia or invasive aspergillosis had a higher HS than patients with bacterial pneumonia or mycobacterial lung infection. High or intermediate values for HS were more often found in patients with a low than in those with a normal platelet count.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differential diagnostic conclusions which can be based on an HS are limited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grebski
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hold
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Speich
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000473:pathology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D006485:Hemosiderin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000473:pathology; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000473:pathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006485:Hemosiderin