Bronchoalveolar lavage in ankylosing spondylitis.

Bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchial biopsies were performed in 15 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 17 control subjects. There was no difference in total cell count, number of lymphocytes, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, or beta 2 microglobulin concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid between these two groups. Bronchoalveolar lavage IgA concentrations were not increased, but bronchial IgA deposits were more common in AS.

Effect of long-term intraluminal perfusion of pentagastrin on rat small-intestinal mucosa.

Mucosal changes occurring during long-term intraluminal perfusion of pentagastrin in the duodenum of conscious adult rats (100 micrograms/24 h/kg, 6 days) were studied. Significant increases of labelling and of mitotic indices were noted in the whole small intestine, with an enlargement of the crypt epithelial proliferative compartment. Differential kinetic variations were observed between upper and lower parts of the small intestine when labelling indices were measured in accordance with the cell position in the crypts.