[Bronchoalveolar lavage in patients with sarcoidosis--methodologic aspects of the collection, immunologic characterization of lymphocytes and studies of immunoglobulin content].

The activity of alveolitis in 25 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis was determined by analysis of T-Lymphocytes and their subpopulations collected by broncho-alveolar lavage. The characterization of the lymphocytes was performed with monoclonal antibodies (BL-series). An amount of T-lymphocytes higher than 28% of all cells and a proportion of T4/T8-lymphocytes of 8:1 and over are signs of the activity of the alveolitis and an indication for corticoid therapy.