It is unclear whether leukocytes in induced sputum (IS) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) represent the same cell populations. To compare leukocyte counts and macrophage phenotypes and investigate any measurable dithiothreitol (DTT)-mediated effect on macrophage immunocytochemical staining results, IS and BAL samples from nine healthy smokers and seven nonsmokers were examined. BAL and IS sample...

Abstract BACKGROUND: SP-A and SP-D are hydrophilic proteins which regulate the inflammatory response of the lung. Pasteurella multocida is one of the most common bacteria isolated from calves suffering from shipping fever pneumonia, one of the most problems in dairy herds. OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of surfactant content may provide a valuable diagnostic tool for detection of calf pneumonia due to ...

We report a patient who presented with a diffuse interstitial lung disease in whom clinical and radiologic investigation led to the suspicion of lymphangitis carcinomatosa. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed and revealed the presence of prostatic specific antigen (PSA) positive cells. A prostatic needle aspiration confirmed the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. This case demonstrates the val...

We examined the relationship between serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) galactomannan index (GMI) values and mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Using a clinical sign and symptom-initiated approach, we found that the serum but not the BAL GMI level correlated with 42- and 180-day patient mortality.

The usefulness of a nested PCR assay for detection of Aspergillus sp. DNA was evaluated in 177 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid specimens. This test was accurate both to diagnose culture-negative BAL fluid specimens from patients with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and to confirm culture-positive samples. However, it did not differentiate between infection and colonization.

Aim: To assess the significance of bronchoalveolar lavage and fibreoptic bronchoscopy in the early diagnosis of sputum smear negative pulmonary infections. Methods: This descriptive study was undertaken at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital Lahore. A total of 115 patients of age 15 and above with clinical and/or radiological evidence of an infective...

Nosocomial pneumonia is a common complication in patients on mechanical ventilation and results in significant mortality. Diagnosis of pneumonia in patients who are intubated and under mechanical ventilation is difficult, even with the aid of clinical, laboratory, and endoscopic tests. The objective of this study was to compare three methods of tracheal sputum collection in patients with a clin...

All cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) testing performed at our institution between 1989 and 1994 was reviewed for utility of routinely testing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) for this antigen. Forty-two of 1,506 BAL specimens were positive. Seventeen of these were felt to represent false positives (sensitivity, 71%; positive predictive value, 0.59). The data on CrAg in cerebrospinal fluid and s...

Complement receptor type 1 (CR1) (CD35; C3b/C4b receptor) is a transmembrane protein of many haematopoietic cells. Once cleaved, soluble complement receptor type 1 (sCR1) exerts opposite effects as a powerful inhibitor of complement. This study addressed both the question of whether sCR1 was found in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of normals and patients with various inflammatory disease, and its...

Ocular sarcoidosis is frequent in Japan, but in many cases the condition remains undiagnosed in patients with suspected ocular sarcoidosis. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in order to study the clinical implications of lymphocytosis of BAL fluid in such patients with characteristic ocular manifestations. The subjects included in this study were 39 patients with suspected ocular sarco...