الفهرس 
* The cytokine conceptOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The interstitial lung diseases are a heterogenous group of diseases, largely of unknown cause, characterized by interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration and resultant pulmonary fibrosis. Recently, different inflammatory cell products and cytokines have been discovered and implicated in the process of interstitial pulmonary fibrosis and collagen output.
In the present study, thirty patients with different interstitial pulmonary fibrosis were included. Other ten patients with non—fibrotic chest diseases were included as control cases. The diagnosis of interstitial pulmonary fibrosis was considered on basis of clinical history and examination, chest X—ray and pulmonary function testing.
For each of the interstitial pulmonary fibrosis cases and controls of the study serum IFN— y , bronchoalveolar lavage fluid IFN— y , plasma fibronectin and broncho— alveolar lavage fluid fibronectin levels were measured.
Quantitative estimation of IFN— ywas performed using Medgenix IFN— y —EASIA, supplied by Medgenix Diagnostics SA, Belgium. Quantitative estimation of fibronectin was performed using LC— partigen immunno-diffusion plates supplied by Behringwerke.