Lymphoid interstitial pneumonia: findings at bronchoalveolar lavage

In a patient with lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP), confirmed by open lung biopsy, immunological derangement was evaluated using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and peripheral blood. In the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid there were 20% null cells, 0% B cells, 77% alveolar macrophages and 3% T cells; in the peripheral blood these were 12% null cells, 43% B cells, 26% mononuclear phagocyte system cells, 2% double marker cells and 17% T cells. Thus there was T cell depletion and null cell increment in bronchoalveolar lavage, in contrast to T cell depletion and increment of B cells and mononuclear phagocyte system cells in the peripheral blood.