[Lung function tests and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) findings in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis]

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a rare cholestatic liver disease with an autoimmune etiology. The present study was done to estimate the frequency of occurrence of pulmonary disturbances and to analyse the results of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) findings in patients with PBC. Thirteen patients (only women) aged 50.4 with histologically proved PBC were investigated. Mean values of lung function tests in the study group were within normal range. In 38% of patients the impairment of DICO was observed. Only in one patient decrease of lung compliance (Cdyn) was observed. BAL findings showed the increase of lymphocytes ratio (> 15%) in 5 patients (38%). The disturbances in lung function and BAL were observed in patients with different stage of PBC and without clinical symptoms of lung disease.