title: Storage alters feline bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytological analysis.
abstract: Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collection is a valuable respiratory diagnostic procedure in cats. This study evaluated effects of BALF storage on total nucleated cell counts (TNCCs) and differential cell counts (DCC), cell morphology, and cytological diagnosis. Forty-five research cats with neutrophilic, eosinophilic, and mixed inflammation, and healthy controls were enrolled. BALF samples were processed within 1h (baseline) or stored at 4°C (4C24) or room temperature (RT24) for 24h, or 4°C (4C48) or room temperature (RT48) for 48h before processing. Stored BALF at RT48 had decreased TNCC compared to baseline. The RT24 and RT48 samples had greater eosinophil % and the RT24, 4C48, and RT48 samples had decreased neutrophil % compared with baseline. Cellular morphology deteriorated in all stored samples. Storage resulted in a change in cytological diagnosis in up to 57% of stored samples. We conclude that cytological analysis of BALF in cats should be performed promptly for optimal results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, 900 East Campus Drive, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nafe
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: DeClue
authors.forename: Carol R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Reinero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D002415:Cats; D002452:Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors