Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: relationship to silicosis and pulmonary infection.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare disease with varied radiographic and clinical manifestations. Thirteen patients are presented and the role of pulmonary lavage in management is illustrated. Six patients had associated diseases such as nocardiosis, leukemia, and silicosis. The broad spectrum of relationships found in alveolar proteinosis suggests that it represents one mechanism by which the lung responds to a variety of insults.