title: Measuring alveolar lavage fluid surfactant by fluorescence polarization.
abstract: We describe a procedure by which surfactant/albumin ratios in bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) may be quantified with the Abbott Laboratories TDx fluorescence polarization analyzer and fetal lung maturity reagents. Adding albumin to BALF samples shifted the surfactant/albumin ratios to within the analytical range of the method. The analytical CV for assay of modified BALF samples was 2.9%. Ratios obtained for modified samples from normal individuals (n = 10), transplanted lungs (n = 23), and contralateral native lungs of the transplant recipients (n = 23) were significantly different (P = 0.006). The ratio obtained for these modified samples can be converted, if needed, to the ratio in the original sample by using a simple mathematical relationship and the albumin concentration of the sample. We propose that this ratio will be useful in evaluating the surfactant status of BALF, particularly in lung allografts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: McCarroll
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Lente
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization / Q000379:methods*; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000032:analysis*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants