[T-lymphocyte subpopulations in bronchoalveolar lavage in pulmonary sarcoidosis and other interstitial pulmonary diseases].

In the bronchoalveolar lavage of 17 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and in the lavage of 18 patients with other diseases of the pulmonary interstitium the authors assessed by means of monoclonal antibodies, T-lymphocyte subpopulations. In the lavage from sarcoidosis helper-inducer lymphocytes (CD4+) dominated markedly, while in other interstitial pulmonary diseases a predominance of suppressor-cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD8+) was found. The different ratio of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes was manifested particularly markedly when for evaluation the CD4/CD8 ratio was used: in sarcoidosis it was 7.2 +/- 3.5, while in other interstitial lung diseases only 0.9 +/- 0.6. The presented results indicate possible practical use of assessment of lymphocyte subpopulations in bronchoalveolar lavage for the differential diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases.