Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) analysis in interstitial lung diseases--a 7-year experience.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in 89 patients with diffuse interstitial lung disorders of varied aetiology and 19 normal control subjects over a period of 7 years. Alveolar macrophage was the predominant cell in BALF in normal control subjects. Increased neutrophils were found in BALF in patients with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis (CFA) and fibrosing alveolitis associated with collagen vascular diseases. BALF lymphocytosis was seen in patients with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sarcoidosis, miliary tuberculosis, silicosis and carcinomatosis. Diagnosis of alveolar microlithiasis was made in one patient with the help of BALF examination. One patient developed anaphylactic reaction to the topical xylocaine solution and there was no mortality with the procedure.