Effects of single and duplicate infusions of 250mL of saline solution in the cytological evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage in equines

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Viscardi V., Lopes A.C.G., Beling J.C.F., Gioia G.V., Torres Filhos R.A., Lessa D.A.B. & Alencar N.X. Effects of single and duplicate infusions of 250mL of saline solution in the cytological evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage in equines. [Efeito da infusão única e em duplicata de 250mL de solução salina na avaliação citológica do lavado broncoalveolar em equinos.] Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 37(1):33-35, 2015. Departamento de Patologia e Clí- nica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Vital Brazil Filho 64, Niterói, RJ 24230-340, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] The bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a sensitive method to diagnose diseases of the distal portion of the lower respiratory tract and has been broadly used by numerous researchers. Different volumes of infusions are employed to obtain BALs in horses, which can influence the cytology. Therein, the present paper intends to determine the effects of a single and a duplicate infusion of 250 mL of saline solution in BAL cell type count. BAL samples of 30 equines obtained with the infusion of saline solution divided into two aliquots of 250mL (A1 and A2) were used. The cytological preparations were done by cytocentrifugation and all glass microscope slides were fixed and stained with Giemsa for the differential cell count. As for the effect of different infusion volumes (A1 and A2) on the cell type count, there were significant differences only among neutrophil percentages (p=0,0236), that was lower in the latter samples (A2). Although the infusion of 250mL (A1) allows the obtaining of a representative sample of cell population in the lower respiratory tract, it is not appropriate to compare these results to currently accepted reference values, making it necessary to establish reference values for this volume.