Research

Biomarkers of Lung Disease

Biomarkers of Lung Disease in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid

Protocol Description

The goal if this study is to determine whether a new way of looking at bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid might become a useful tool to assess lung disease. Researchers are looking to correlate a profile of different kinds of proteins in the lung called cytokines with clinical states. This fluid, already being obtained during bronchoscopy, will be analyzed using a new and very sensitive technique called a Luminex assay for a connection between protein profiles and traditional measure of lung disease, including pulmonary function, diagnosis, and culture results.

Eligibility Criteria

Patients already undergoing bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) as part of their clinical care will be invited to participate in this research study.
Boys: All ages
Girls: All ages

Requirements
No special requirements, as BAL fluid obtained from a child’s bronchoscopy will be retained for further clinical analysis, rather than discarded.

Status: Open for Enrollment

Additional Resources
Bronchoscopy