Glucocorticoid receptors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in sarcoidosis. A preliminary report.

Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) content was measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells of 20 untreated patients with sarcoidosis. A significantly higher (p less than 0.001) lymphocyte count and GR content of BALF cells was noted in patients with sarcoidosis as compared to normal volunteers. The GR content correlated positively with lymphocytes (%) (r = 0.6; p less than 0.01) and was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in patients who showed roentgenographic improvement, physiologic improvement, and improvement in both parameters compared to those who did not show improvement. Above findings suggest that the GR content of BALF cells is increased in sarcoidosis and a major contribution to this may be made by the lymphocytes.