[Diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage in assessing the efficacy of the treatment of idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis].

A study of the results of repeated diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage in 27 patients with idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis (IFA) has shown that the investigation of cellular composition of the bronchoalveolar content (BAC) made it possible to specify IFA activity and its therapy-related change. Normalization or a decrease below 6% of the neutrophil content in BAC was typical of achieving low activity and remission of disease. A relatively high count of neutrophils in BAC (over 10%) during therapy was observed in preserved significant IFA activity resistant to drug therapy.