PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - D Bouros AU - P Panagou AU - T Rokkas AU - NM Siafakas TI - Bronchoalveolar lavage findings in a young adult with idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis and coeliac disease AID - 10.1183/09031936.94.07051009 DP - 1994 May 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - 1009--1012 VI - 7 IP - 5 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/7/5/1009.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/7/5/1009.full SO - Eur Respir J1994 May 01; 7 AB - Idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis is a rare disease of unknown autoimmune aetiology, mainly affecting children and adolescents. A variety of coexisting autoimmune diseases have been described, including coeliac disease. We describe the case of a man, aged 19 yrs, presenting with a one year history of recurrent haemoptysis. Gluten and gliadin antibodies were positive, and the jejunal biopsy revealed villous atrophy consistent with the diagnosis of coeliac disease. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis showed a mean haemosiderin score (Golde index) of 240, and a local suppressor/cytotoxic profile on immunocytology. Both clinical and immunological improvement was obtained after a month of gluten-free diet. These immunological findings provide new insight into the pathogenesis of this disease.