COMPARISON OF ALVEOLAR SEPTAL INFLAMMATION TO BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE IN INTERSTITIAL LUNG-DISEASES

We analyzed transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) specimens by morphometry using a computer-aided graphic analyzer to quantify the severity of a lveolar septal inflammation and investigated the correlation between t he severity of inflammation and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) ly mphocyte content in various types of interstitial lung disease (ILD). Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in the right S-4 or S-5 With 3 X 50 ml of sterile saline in 55 hospitalized patients with ILD between 1 989 and 1993. Fluoroscopy-guided TBLB was then performed in the right S-1, S-2, S-8 and S-9. The severity of alveolar septal inflammation in TBLB specimens was quantified and expressed as the linear density of mononuclear cells infiltrating the alveolar septum. The severity of al veolar septal inflammation was not correlated with BALF lymphocyte con tent in the overall study populations (n = 55, p = 0.55), but was sign ificantly correlated with BALF lymphocyte content in patients with hyp ersensitivity pneumonitis (n = 7, p = 0.021). No positive correlation was observed in patients with other types of ILD such as sarcoidosis ( n = 17, p = 0.71), interstitial pneumonitis/fibrosis (n = 22, p = 0.98 ) or pneumoconiosis (n = 9, p = 0.48).