Endobronchial biopsies

A primary chemokine receptor associated with Th2-type responses is CCR8, which is also upregulated on Th2 cells derived in vitro. CCR8 is expressed by thymocytes, monocytes, as well as Th2 cells, and serves as the receptor for I-309/TCA-3/CCL1. In humans, expression of CCR8 was found on T cells in endobronchial biopsies of asthmatic patients taken 24 hours after allergen... 

Howarth, P.H., Djukanovic, R., Wilson, J.W. etal. (1991). Mucosal nerves in endobronchial biopsies in asthma and non-asthma. Int. Arch. Allergy Appl. Immunol. 94, 330-333. 

Lee SY, Kim MK, Shin C, Shim JJ, Kim HK, Kang KH, Yoo SH, In KH (2003) Substance P-immunoreactive nerves in endobronchial biopsies in cough-variant asthma and classic asthma. Respiration 70 49-53... 

BALT is significantly more frequent in smokers and recent ex-smokers (< 2 years) as compared to never-smokers and longer term ex-smokers (> 2 years) (P <0.01) in age and sample-matched groups (Richmond et al. 1992). Endobronchial biopsies of second- and third-generation bronchi taken from 44 non-smoking elite cross-country skiers showed small BALT in 64% of skiers but in only 25 % of their control subjects (Sue-Chu et al. 1998). 

Shorr AF, Torrington KG, Hnatiuk OW. Endobronchial biopsy for sarcoidosis a prospective study. Chest 2001 120(1) 109-114. 

Skin/respiratory - sarcoidosis A female patient with multiple sclerosis developed sarcoidosis 3 years after continuous therapy with IFNp. The patient presented witir low-grade fevers, dyspnoea on exertion, diffuse arthralgias and rash. Noncaseating granulomas and endobronchial biopsies of pulmonary lymph nodes contributed to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Withdrawal of IFNp combined with a course of corticosteroids and antirheumatic drug therapy led to resolution of the condition [60 ]. 

Figure 13.1 (a) and (b) showing an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-FNA biopsy of an enlarged mediastinal lymph node from a 63-year-old male with a left lower lobe lung mass and a remote history of melanoma. (See text for full caption). 

Vilmann P, Krasnik M, Larsen SS, et al. Transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) biopsy a combined approach in the evaluation of mediastinal lesions. Endoscopy 2005 37(9) 833-839. 

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