Pulmonary involvement in patients with HTLV-I associated myelopathy

Pulmonary involvement in HTLV-I patients has been identified by several authors in Africa, Japan and Brazil. The objective of this controlled study is to establish an association between HAM and lymphocytosis in the bronchoalveolar fluid (BAL). Thirty-five adult patients with non-traumatic and non-tumoral myelopathy filled out a detailed historical survey and underwent a neurological examination, a thoracic radiological evaluation and a CSF examination. Of the patients in this sample, 22 were diagnosed with HTLV-I associated myelopathy and 13 had myelopathies with other etiologies. Lymphocytosis in the BAL fluid was detected in 18 (82%) of the HAM patients and in 2 (15%) of non-HAM patients. We concluded that the lung represents an important organ in the pathogenesis of HAM.