Lung
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Comparative Study
Comparison of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar fluid with those in the lumen and tissue peripheral airways and alveolar airspace.
This study compares the inflammatory cell types in the alveolar airspace, peripheral airways, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of 65 human lung specimens removed surgically. The data show that the cellular population in the airway tissue is composed of approximately 2-4% neutrophils, and 96-98% mononuclear inflammatory cells. This contrasts with the airway lumen, which contains approximately 5-14% neutrophils, while the alveolar airspace contains 3%, and the lavage fluid contains 4% neutrophils. ⋯ In this groups of lungs, there is an apparent stereotypic inflammatory response in that the percentages of PMN in the different anatomical sites are relatively similar from case to case. Various workers have suggested that analysis of the cell types present in bronchopulmonary lavage can be used as a therapeutic index, or as a diagnostic test. Our data suggest that lavage does indeed sample the lower airways and alveolar spaces, and that such usage may well be justified.