RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Bronchoalveolar cell differential count and the number of asbestos bodies correlate with survival in patients with asbestosis
JF Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JO Occup Environ Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 765
OP 771
DO 10.1136/oemed-2018-105606
VO 76
IS 10
A1 Eerika Keskitalo
A1 Laura Varis
A1 Risto Bloigu
A1 Riitta Kaarteenaho
YR 2019
UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/76/10/765.abstract
AB Objectives To determine cell differential counts and the number of asbestos bodies (ABs) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid obtained from patients with asbestosis, and to correlate the results with their survival.Methods The BAL cell differential counts and ABs from 91 patients with asbestosis were determined. The BAL cell differential counts were analysed in relation to smoking status. BAL cell differential counts and the number of ABs were correlated with the patients’ survivals.Results A neutrophilic cell pattern was observed independently of smoking habits with both Papanicolau (8.4%) and May-Grunwald-Giemsa (6.5%) staining. Smoking and a high number of ABs (>2 AB/mL) were associated with high total cell counts and high macrophage and low lymphocyte differential counts. The median survival of the patients was 131.8 months. Shortened survival was associated with high numbers of ABs (78 vs 165 months; p=0.042) and low lymphocyte (77 vs 179 months; p=0.005), high neutrophil (102 vs 180 months; p=0.016) and high eosinophil (104 vs170 months; p=0.007) differential counts.Conclusion A neutrophilic cell pattern was evident in BAL from patients with asbestosis. Smoking and ABs both affected the total cell count and the macrophage and lymphocyte differential counts. Several BAL parameters associated with patient survival, suggesting that BAL cell count analyses could be used in the estimation of the prognosis of patients with asbestosis.