Author/Editor		Debeljak, Andrej; Mermolja, Milivoj; Rott, Tomaž; Remškar, Zlata
Title		Azbestna telesca v bronhoalveolarnem izpirku in bronhoskopski biopsiji pljuč
Translated title		Asbestos bodies in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and bronchoscopic lung biopsy
Type		članek
Source		Zdrav Vestn
Vol. and No.		Letnik 65, št. 3
Publication year		1996
Volume		str. 115-7
Language		slo
Abstract		Background. The significance of cytological characteristics of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and histological analysis of bronchoscopic lung biopsy (BLB) in patients with asbestos bodies in BALF was investigated. Methods. The study was retrospective. BAL was performed with 100 ml of saline. The slides were prepared by cytocentrifuge and stained according to May-Giemsa and Perls. Histological preparations were routine and iron stained. Light microscopy was applied. Chi-quadrat and t-test were used for statistical work-up. Results. From 1982-1994 1614 BAL were perfomed. AB were found in BALF of 99 patients. Their asbestos exposure was 22.5+-8 yrs. Eighty-five patients had asbestosis, 3 pleuritis, 2 sarcoidosis, one adenocarcinoma of the lung, one pneumonia while in seven only asbestos dust deposition in the lung was observed. In BLB AB were found in 76 and fibrosis in 59 patients. The fibrosis of the lung was associated with the presence of AB in lung tissue. Conclusions. Confirmation of AB in BALF and BLB by light microscopy is a suitable method for diagnosis of heavy asbestos exposure and sensitive yet nonspecific test for asbestosis. Cell count and differential cell count of BALF are not helpfull for the diagnosis of asbestosis. Lung fibrosis or some other lung diseases like sarcoidosis and cancer may also be sestablished by BLB.
Descriptors		ASBESTOSIS BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE FLUID BIOPSY BRONCHOSCOPY RETROSPECTIVE STUDIES ASBESTOS