[The cytological characteristics of bronchoalveolar washings in chronic bronchitis]

Bronchoalveolar washings (BAWs) from 30 patients with nonobstructive chronic bronchitis (CB) were examined cytologically. On the basis of the taxonomic analysis of the data on the cytological examination of the BAWs, all the observations were classified as belonging to degrees I, II and III of the cytological activity of the inflammatory process in the lungs. It was revealed that the minimal degree of the activity of the inflammatory process was characterized by a marked increase in the relative numbers of the cells of the desquamated cylindrical epithelium and destroyed cells along with a significant decrease in the proportion of macrophages and an increase in the relative count of neutrophils. The increased activity of the inflammatory process in the lungs was accompanied by a progressing increase in the proportion of neutrophils and a decrease in the relative count of macrophages and the cells of the cylindrical epithelium. Clinico-cytological analysis of the observations was also performed. The most complete and objective estimation of the degree of the inflammatory process activity in the lungs in the patients with CB was provided by the cytological indices of the BAWs.