The effects of chronic XXXX and chronic air-flow obstruction on lung cell populations recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage.

@entity1 @entity32 @entity3617 @entity281 @entity358 @entity401
Bronchoalveolar lavage is used to evaluate @entity32 in @entity1 with @entity358 . Normal values for lavage cell counts and proteins are derived primarily from young subjects who are free from @entity358 ; however, older @entity1 who undergo bronchoalveolar lavage often have used cigarettes for long periods of time and have developed variable degrees of chronic @entity3617 and/or chronic air-flow obstruction. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of cigarette use, chronic @entity3617 , and chronic air-flow obstruction on lavage cell populations by performing bronchoalveolar lavage in 48 male @entity1 who were undergoing diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Sixteen @entity1 (33%) had elevated percentages of neutrophils (greater than or equal to 10%) in lavage fluid. Fourteen of these (87.5%) had chronic cough and/or phlegm production, but only 9 (64.3%) met criteria for definite chronic @entity3617 . @entity1 with moderate or severe air-flow obstruction, defined spirometrically, had significantly greater percentages of lavage neutrophils and lower percentages of macrophages than did @entity1 with mild or no air-flow obstruction. The first lavage aliquot contained the greatest proportion of neutrophils and the smallest proportion of macrophages. The percentage of neutrophils declined and the percentage of macrophages increased in sequential aliquots. The data indicate that @entity1 with chronic cough and/or phlegm production and chronic air-flow obstruction may have increased proportions of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in the absence of @entity401 or @entity281 . These variables must be taken into account when interpreting lavage cellular analyses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
