Vol. 5, Issue 5, Part D (2019)

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is the most sensitive procedure to detect an alveolitis in patients suspected of having EAA, but is not always necessary, particularly in patients with exposure history and typical confident distinction of chronic HP from IPF and NSIP only about 50 percent of the time ^[6].

Patients and methods ; Retrospective study of 30 non smokers patients finally diagnosed as EAA, FOB and BAL was taken from all patients and net result of it less than 20%, natural challenge test then thoracoscopic cryobiopsy taken for final diagnosis.

Results: Patients age range from 24 to 50 years, most of patients were female 83.3%, 80% were exposed to birds and remaining 20% are farmers. Duration of illness ranged from 4 to 24 months, all patients suffering from SOB, and cough, natural challenge were positive in 100% of cases, HRCT were nodular in 20%,and reticulo-nodular in 80%, biopsy were diagnostic to all patients. BAL lymphocytes ranged from 8% to 12%, mast cell median 5%and neutrophils was 3% FEV1 median of FEV1 was 45% and FVC 50%, and DLCO was 42%, all patients were restrictive in relation to function.