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Updated: Nov 30, 2025
Bronchoalveolar Lavage BAL for Research; Obtaining Adequate Sample Yield
Published on: March 24, 2014
Bronchoalveolar Lavage in Systemic Sclerosis Patients: A Systematic Review
Sérgio Oliveira da Silva1, Adriane Souza da Paz1, Isla Miranda Vidal Cavalcante Farias1
1Complexo Hospitalar Universitário Professor Edgard Santos, Rua Doutor Augusto Viana, s/n, Canela, CEP 40110-060, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Introduction:
We performed a systematic review of the literature to determine the value of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in evaluating the pulmonary involvement of systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Methods:
Articles published between 1980 and 2019 were retrieved from the databases: PubMed and Scielo. The search was restricted to clinical trials published in English, utilizing the keywords "scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, interstitial lung disease, and bronchoalveolar lavage".
Results:
Twenty-two papers were analyzed. A positive correlation was observed between increased BAL cellularity (alveolitis) and worsening clinical symptoms, pulmonary function, and radiological pattern in 2, 11, and 15 studies, respectively. The majority of BAL studies that evaluated interleukin levels, including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-7, and IL-8, observed higher levels in patients with impaired pulmonary function and increased lung involvement.
Conclusions:
Alveolitis and the increase of some cytokines/chemokines in BAL were related to more severe pulmonary disease in SSc in the majority of the studies and seemed to be markers of worse prognosis, but it is unknown whether BAL adds clinical value to the use of the other non-invasive diagnostic procedures.
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