title: Value of bronchoalveolar lavage in the diagnosis of pulmonary infection in acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
abstract: Seventy five patients with pulmonary disease and suspected acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) underwent fibreoptic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage. Of 54 cases of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, 53 (98%) were diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage. Complications were recorded in 12 instances and included pneumothorax in two and transient increase in fever and hypoxaemia in the remainder. Bronchoalveolar lavage is a safe, easy, and effective procedure for diagnosing pneumocystis pneumonia in patients at high risk of AIDS and should be done routinely when fibreoptic bronchoscopy is performed in such patients.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013242:Sterilization; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation