[Free-radical processes in the pulmonary macrophages of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis].

Free radical processes in the alveolar and interstitial macrophages were compared for patients with different forms of tuberculosis, chronic nonspecific pulmonary diseases and cancer of the lungs. Alveolar macrophages were found to have more active free radical processes than interstitial macrophages. Chronic transformation of pulmonary tuberculosis results in activation of free radical processes in pulmonary macrophages. Differences in the value of alveolar macrophages chemiluminescence maximum and time of its appearance may facilitate differential diagnosis between tuberculosis, chronic nonspecific pulmonary diseases and cancer of the lungs.