Characterization of lower respiratory tract inflammation in patients with smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis

Vijayan, V K and Sankaran, K and Venkatesan, P and Prabhakar, R (1994) Characterization of lower respiratory tract inflammation in patients with smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis. Lung India, 12 (2). pp. 63-68. ISSN Print: 0970-2113; Online: 0974-598X

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Abstract

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) studies were carried out in 27 sputum smear negative but radiographic probable pulmonary tuberculosis patients to characterize the inflammatory and Immune effector cells in the lower respiratory tract and in 17 normal subjects. The diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis was confirmed by isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in culture from sputum and/or lavage specimens. BAL was done first from radiologically normal lobe and then from radiologically abnormal lobe prior to treatment and the BAL fluids were analyzed separately. Two groups were identified based on lavage results. One group (macrophage predominant) had significantly elevated total cells and alveolar macrophages in both radiologically normal (p<0.01) and abnormal lobes (p<0.001) compared to normal controls. The other group (lymphocyte predominant) had expanded numbers of total cells (p<0.01), lymphocytes (p<0.01), neutrophlls (p<0.05) and eosinophils (p<0.01) in radiologically abnormal lobe. The cell profile in radiologically normal lobe in lymphocyte predominant group was within normal limits. These results suggest that two distinct cell profiles, in one group an increase in alveolar macrophages and in the other an increase in lymphocytes can occur In the lower respiratory tract of patients with sputum smear negative, but radiographic probable pulmonary tuberculosis.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Tuberculosis > Clinical Research
Divisions: Clinical Research
Depositing User: Dr. Rathinasabapati R
Date Deposited: 24 Sep 2013 09:45
Last Modified: 14 Mar 2016 06:04
URI: http://eprints.nirt.res.in/id/eprint/388

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