Enzyme levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum of active pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF) was found to be a useful index of cell damage. It has been observed that the enzymes in BALF could give an idea of cell damage in a pulmonary disease. Acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase were assessed in mild, moderate, and severe pulmonary tuberculosis patients and Mantoux-negative normal controls. Activities of these enzymes were found to be higher in patients and were increasing with the severity of the disease. Increase in these enzymes in pulmonary tuberculosis patients could be attributed to lung tissue damage.