National Institutes of Health workshop summary. Summary and recommendations of a workshop on the investigative use of fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage in individuals with asthma.

The participants in the workshop reached unanimous consensus that, as an investigative tool, BAL has enormous potential for extending knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of asthma. When BAL is used according to these guidelines, maximum knowledge may be gained with minimal risks to study subjects. However, we wish to emphasize that the extent to which the safety of the procedure applies to those subjects with asthma and more symptoms and an FEV1 of less than 60% of predicted value remains to be established by carefully controlled clinical investigations.