Studies on the mechanism of late asthmatic response using a technique of bronchoalveolar lavage Part 2. Bronchial reaction after inhalation of Candida allergen in bronchial asthmatics

To clarify the mechanism of late asthmatic response (LAR) which is related to intractable asthmatic attacks, cellular and humoral components at the sites of LAR were examined by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) obtained after bronchial inhalation of Candida allergen. BAL examination was performed 2 hours after the LAR attack. The differential cell count was obtained and the level of leukotrienes (LTs) in the BALF and peripheral blood determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The percentages of eosinophils and basophil・mast cells and neutrophils were statistically high in the BALF after LAR compared with the level in the non-attack state (p<0.05 p<0.01). The level of LTC(4) was significantly higher in the BALF after LAR (p