[Comparative analysis of bronchoalveolar lavages in interstitial lung diseases].
BACKGROUND
This study was purposed to find out the differences in the lymphocyte subsets and differential cell counts of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and to analyze the differences according to their ages, gender and smoking habits.


METHODS
BAL fluid samples of 141 ILD patients were examined for lymphocyte subsets and differential cell counts, and the differences among the patients were analyzed according to their diseases. Then, within the three most common disease groups, the differences were further analyzed by the age, gender and smoking habit of the patients.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences in total cell counts (per millimeters of BAL fluid) among the patient groups with each ILD. However, significant differences were observed in the percentages of neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and macrophages of BAL fluid. Also, in lymphocyte subset analyses, the percentages of total T cells, B cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4/CD8 T cell ratios, and NK cells were significantly different among the patients with each ILD. However, within the same disease group, there were no differences in differential cell counts and lymphocyte subset analyses according to the age, smoking habit, and gender of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the age, smoking habit and gender did not have an effect on the BAL fluid analyses among the patients with the same ILD, there were significant differences among the patients with each ILD; therefore, the differential cell counts and lymphocyte subset analyses of BAL fluid can be useful in differential diagnosis for determining the types of ILD.
Song
Kyu Sub
KS
Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
Heo
Woon Bo
WB
Won
Dong Il
DI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking