Table 3 Immunological BAL cell patterns in different IRD
CTD n = 46 | Myositis n = 12 | Vasculitis n = 10 | RA n = 6 | Total n = 74 | Reference values according to ATS clinical practice guideline [10] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cell count (total) mean ± SD | 2.4 × 105 ± 1.7 × 105 | 3.1 × 105 ± 1.0 × 105 | 3.4 × 105 ± 2.2 × 105 | 1.6 × 105 ± 1.7 × 105 | 2.6 × 105 ± 1.0 × 105 | - |
Alveolar macrophages mean ± SD | 67.9 ± 20.5% | 58.0 ± 17.0% | 71.8 ± 20.9% | 67.8 ± 19.0% | 66.8 ± 20.0% | > 85% |
Lymphocytes (CD4+/CD8+) mean ± SD | 20.8 ± 15.9% | 26.8 ± 16.1% | 17.2 ± 16.2% | 27.0 ± 20.5% | 21.8 ± 16.3% | 10–15% |
Neutrophils mean ± SD | 6.6 ± 8.1% | 8.5 ± 6.9% | 2.7 ± 2.4% | 3.3 ± 2.7% | 6.1 ± 7.2% | < 3% |
Eosinophils mean ± SD | 3.2 ± 4.1% | 3.5 ± 5.8% | 7.1 ± 14.6% | 0.7 ± 0.5% | 3.6 ± 6.6% | < 5% |