title: Cellular composition of induced sputum in sarcoidosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the cellular composition of induced sputum (IS) in sarcoidosis and its role in assessing the disease activity. The safety of the procedure was also determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sputum induction by inhalation of hypertonic saline was performed. Twenty-one samples from the healthy controls, 32 from patients with active disease, and 33 from subjects with inactive disease were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of lymphocytes in IS was significantly higher in active sarcoidosis than in inactive disease and the control group (9.7% vs. 3.1% vs. 2.9%), and was the highest in the patients with parenchymal changes and active disease (13.3%). The percentage of macrophages was significantly lower in active sarcoidosis than in normal subjects (76.8% vs. 83.4%). It was also significantly lower in IS in active disease and stages II and III than in both subgroups with active and inactive stage I of sarcoidosis. There were no significant differences in the IS cell percentages between the whole sarcoidosis group and the controls. Sputum induction was well tolerated and stopped only four times, two of them because of dyspnoea or the decrease of PEF. The symptoms were well reversible after administering salbutamol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sputum induction by inhalation of hypertonic saline is safe, but the evaluation of IS differential cell counts is not useful in sarcoidosis diagnosing. However, it could be used in assessing the activity of the disease, especially in patients with interstitial lung changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland. porzen@gumed.edu.pl
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porzezińska
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Knopińska-Posłuszny
authors.forename: Bogumiła
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cynowska
authors.forename: Jan Marek
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Słomiński
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000473:pathology*; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic