Bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial biopsy in spondyloarthropathies

Fourteen patients (12 men, 2 women) with spondyloarthropathies underwent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), transbronchial biopsy (TBB) and other respiratory investigations. BAL revealed lymphocytosis and increased nonaltered neutrophil polynuclears in a smoker and an isolated lymphocytosis in one patient with restrictive syndrome and radiographic apical fibrosis. TBB showed interstitial fibrosis in the 2 patients and in 3 others who are all nonsmokers and among whom 2 had a restrictive syndrome. Subclinical alveolitis in spondyloarthropathies is absent. Interstitial fibrosis is not rare and its frequent association in a restrictive syndrome suggests a mechanical origin.