Biomaterial Database

[Value of bronchoalveolar lavage in the diagnosis and management of diffuse interstitial fibrosing lung diseases]. 1991

B Wallaert

Département de pneumologie, hôpital A.-Calmette, Lille.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is an exploratory technique which is easy to perform and collect cellular constituents, notably inflammatory and immunocompetent cells, as well as biological elements that are present in the distal airways. In patient with chronic diffuse infiltrative lung disease, analysis of these parameters reveals various disturbances such as neutrophilia frequently associated with eosinophilia and, in some cases, lymphocytosis. These features are not specific, but they differentiate chronic diffuse infiltrative lung diseases from sarcoidosis and hypersensitivity lung diseases. Alveolar inflammation (alveolitis) correlates with the evolutive potential of the lesions and their ability to respond to treatment. The presence of lymphocytosis is usually associated with response to corticosteroid therapy, whereas the presence or persistence of neutrophilia and, even more, eosinophilia is characteristic of patients who do not respond to corticosteroids but are amenable to the cyclophosphamide-corticosteroid combination. BAL therefore increasingly appears as an irreplaceable tool to understand the physiopathology of chronic diffuse infiltrative lung diseases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011658	Pulmonary Fibrosis	A process in which normal lung tissues are progressively replaced by FIBROBLASTS and COLLAGEN causing an irreversible loss of the ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream via PULMONARY ALVEOLI. Patients show progressive DYSPNEA finally resulting in death.	Alveolitis, Fibrosing,Idiopathic Diffuse Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis,Fibroses, Pulmonary,Fibrosis, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Fibroses,Alveolitides, Fibrosing,Fibrosing Alveolitides,Fibrosing Alveolitis
D001992	Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid	Washing liquid obtained from irrigation of the lung, including the BRONCHI and the PULMONARY ALVEOLI. It is generally used to assess biochemical, inflammatory, or infection status of the lung.	Alveolar Lavage Fluid,Bronchial Lavage Fluid,Lung Lavage Fluid,Bronchial Alveolar Lavage Fluid,Lavage Fluid, Bronchial,Lavage Fluid, Lung,Pulmonary Lavage Fluid,Alveolar Lavage Fluids,Bronchial Lavage Fluids,Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluids,Lavage Fluid, Alveolar,Lavage Fluid, Bronchoalveolar,Lavage Fluid, Pulmonary,Lavage Fluids, Alveolar,Lavage Fluids, Bronchial,Lavage Fluids, Bronchoalveolar,Lavage Fluids, Lung,Lavage Fluids, Pulmonary,Lung Lavage Fluids,Pulmonary Lavage Fluids
D003520	Cyclophosphamide	Precursor of an alkylating nitrogen mustard antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agent that must be activated in the LIVER to form the active aldophosphamide. It has been used in the treatment of LYMPHOMA and LEUKEMIA. Its side effect, ALOPECIA, has been used for defleecing sheep. Cyclophosphamide may also cause sterility, birth defects, mutations, and cancer.	(+,-)-2-(bis(2-Chloroethyl)amino)tetrahydro-2H-1,3,2-oxazaphosphorine 2-Oxide Monohydrate,B-518,Cyclophosphamide Anhydrous,Cyclophosphamide Monohydrate,Cyclophosphamide, (R)-Isomer,Cyclophosphamide, (S)-Isomer,Cyclophosphane,Cytophosphan,Cytophosphane,Cytoxan,Endoxan,NSC-26271,Neosar,Procytox,Sendoxan,B 518,B518,NSC 26271,NSC26271
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013256	Steroids	A group of polycyclic compounds closely related biochemically to TERPENES. They include cholesterol, numerous hormones, precursors of certain vitamins, bile acids, alcohols (STEROLS), and certain natural drugs and poisons. Steroids have a common nucleus, a fused, reduced 17-carbon atom ring system, cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene. Most steroids also have two methyl groups and an aliphatic side-chain attached to the nucleus. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 11th ed)	Steroid,Catatoxic Steroids,Steroids, Catatoxic