[Alveolar macrophage section of cytokines and levels of phospholipids in the bronchoalveolar washing in pulmonary sarcoidosis and tuberculosis].

Sixty seven patients with sarcoidosis and 12 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were examined. A control group comprised 9 apparently healthy individuals. The alveolar macrophages (AM) isolated from the bronchoalveolar washing (BAW) of patients with both sarcoidosis and tuberculosis secreted elevated amounts of IL-6 (by 11 and 5.6 times, respectively) as compared to the controls. However, patients with no BAW lymphocytosis there were no great differences in the level of IL-6 production between sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. In this connection, it is not advisable to determine the production of AM cytokines for differential diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. There were significant differences in the BAW concentrations of phospholipids in sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. Tests for total lipid phosphorus and cumulative phosphatidylcholine were found to be of the highest sensitivity and may be used for differential diagnosis. In questionable cases if the level of total lipid phosphorus is greater than 21.36 (M P/L (M + 26, there will be 98.3% probability for no tuberculosis in such a patient.