RESUMO
Sixty patients with different broncho pulmonary diseases [34 asthmatics, 9 with chronic obstructive lung diseases, 2 with bronchiectasis and 15 with non-bronchial pulmonary diseases, working as, gardeners, farmers, bakers, housewives and others] together with 20 matched normal control persons were the subjects of this study. All the studied groups were clinically examined, radiological examination for chest and peak expiratory flow neter [PEFM] for the diagnosis of different broncho pulmonary diseases also direct microscopic examinat; on of sputum to search for oxalate crystals was done. Intradermal skin tests to the common allergens followed by precipitin formation were done to all subjects. It was found that, oxalate crystals in the sputum were present only in patients with bronchial tree affections and not present in the sputum of other groups. Only patients with extrinsic asthma gave + ve skin tests to the different allergens, the more prevalent was house dust antigens. One female patient only with intrinsic bronchial asthma gave + ve precipition to Asp. Fumigatus. One may conclude that, the presence of oxalate crystals in the sputum may be pathognomonic of bronchial tree affections