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Diagnostic value of hemosiderin-containing macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage
1Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Study Objective:
Our objective was to determine if the hemosiderin content of BAL macrophages allows us to draw any differential diagnostic conclusions in a variety of lung diseases.
Patients And Study Design:
One hundred one patients who underwent BAL for different diagnostic reasons were studied prospectively.
Main Results:
The highest values for the hemosiderin score (HS) were found in patients with active alveolar hemorrhage and patients who had undergone heart transplantation for congestive heart failure. Compared to a control population, patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia or invasive aspergillosis had a higher HS than patients with bacterial pneumonia or mycobacterial lung infection. High or intermediate values for HS were more often found in patients with a low than in those with a normal platelet count.
Conclusions:
The differential diagnostic conclusions which can be based on an HS are limited.