title: [Bronchoalveolar lavage in diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].
abstract: In addition to understanding the pathophysiology, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and bronchial lavage (BL) are used for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Abundant neutrophils and mononuclear cells (lymphocytes) with a few of eosinophils are observed in BAL or BL fluids from chronic bronchitis patients, while abundant neutrophils and macrophages are seen in BAL fluids from emphysema patients. COPD patients combined with bronchial asthma show an increase in eosinophil number in BAL or BL fluid. In BAL fluids from diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) patients, increased neutrophils alone are observed without any increases in eosinophils or mononuclear cells.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Tohoku University Hospital.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimura
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D000075202:Contraindications; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology