Role of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis in the diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis / 中国实用内科杂志

ABSTRACT

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is a group of granulomatous lung disease caused by repeated exposure and sensitization to a variety of organic antigens. Establishing a diagnosis of HP is challenging as no gold standard for diagnosis of HP is currently available. The diagnosis is based on integration of history, clinical manifestations, pulmonary function, high-resolution chest CT(HRCT), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) analysis and histopathological features, which is a multidisciplinary diagnosis. The BALF cell profile in HP is characterized by a significant increase in the percentage of lymphocytes. BALF cellular analysis can provide additional supportive evidence of the diagnosis of HP, which narrows the differential diagnosis of HP and helps some patients avoid surgical lung biopsy.