Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cellularity and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in children with colds

Viral colds are an important cause of respiratory symptoms in normal childr en. Studies in adults suggest that inflammation in the lower respiratory tr act is associated with viral colds, but there are no data regarding inflamm ation and viral infection in the lower airway of normal children with colds . We, therefore, studied the lower airway of two groups of children: Group I, those with active coryzal symptoms and a respiratory virus isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF); and Group II: asymptomatic children w ho had had a clinical cold within the previous 2 weeks and no respiratory v irus in BALF. Both groups were compared to age- and weight-matched normal n oninfected controls, who had had no coryzal symptoms for at least 8 weeks. Viruses isolated from BALF of Group I (n = 7) were: respiratory syncytial v irus (n = 2), rhinovirus (n = 3), parainfluenza I (n = 1), and echovirus 11 (n = 1). Compared to normal controls, Group I had an increased BALF lympho cyte and neutrophil differential count (P < 0.05), a concomitant depressed alveolar macrophage differential count (P < 0.05), and increased BALF conce ntrations of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) (P < 0.05, n = 6), total protein (P < 0.05, n = 6) and albumin (P < 0.05, n = 7). Sim ilar changes were seen in Group II (n = 22), with an increased BALF neutrop hil (P < 0.05) and lymphocyte (P < 0.01) differential count, and increased concentrations of sICAM-1 (P < 0.01, n = 15), total protein (P < 0.0001, n = 9) and albumin (P = 0.05, n = 17). Our results suggest that inflammation and viral infection in the lower airw ay are present during active colds, and that inflammation is also present d uring the convalescent period. Pediatr Pulmonol, 1999; 28:109-116, (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.