Table 5.

For BAL cytology, the results of cell percentages are expressed as mean ± SD. ∗ shows significant differences to controls at p < 0.05, ∗∗ significant increase in RAO compared to IAD and CIP, and ∗∗∗ significant decrease in RAO compared to IAD and CIP. RAO: recurrent airway obstruction, IAD: inflammatory airway disease, and CIP: chronic interstitial pneumopathy.

	Macrophages [%]	Lymphocytes [%]	Neutrophils [%]	Eosinophils [%]	Mast cells [%]
Controls (n = 15)	56.48 ± 4.75	38.15 ± 6.41	3.02 ± 2.41	0.13 ± 0.27	2.22 ± 2.06
RAO (n = 17)	19.64 ± 12.07∗,∗∗∗	18.66 ± 12.16∗	60.68 ± 21.59∗,∗∗	0.27 ± 0.35	1.16 ± 1.22
IAD (n = 18)	43.78 ± 12.98∗	34.63 ± 13.65	15.64 ± 8.19∗	1.95 ± 3.9	3.8 ± 3.21
CIP (n = 11)	50.83 ± 15.46	34.47 ± 11.87	8.73 ± 5.71∗	0.95 ± 0.92	5.03 ± 4.34