Total white cell counts (TWCC), percentage and total cell counts (TCC) for neutrophils (PMN), alveolar macrophages (AM), lymphocytes, and epithelial cells
| Left (mean) | Right (mean) | R (p value) | Mean difference (L–R) (95% CI) | LLA (95% CI) | ULA (95% CI) | ||
| TWCC | 92.5 | 90.8 | 0.79 (<0.001) | 1.7 (–17.9 to 21.4) | –187.5 (–221.5 to–153.4) | 190.9 (156.8 to 224.9) | |
| PMN | % | 42.8 | 46.7 | 0.72 (<0.001) | –3.9 (–8.3 to 0.4) | –41.5 (–49.0 to–33.9) | 33.6 (26.1 to 41.2) |
| TCC | 49.0 | 50.4 | 0.83 (<0.001) | –1.4 (–12.3 to 9.6) | –95.9 (–114.9 to–77.0) | 93.2 (74.2 to 112.1) | |
| AM | % | 53.3 | 49.4 | 0.70 (<0.001) | 3.9 (–0.5 to 8.3) | –33.8 (–41.4 to–26.3) | 41.6 (34.0 to 49.2) |
| TCC | 60.4 | 56.4 | 0.44 (<0.001) | 4.0 (–19.9 to 27.9) | –202.7 (–244.2 to–161.3) | 210.7 (169.3 to 252.2) | |
| Lymphocytes | % | 4.0 | 3.7 | 0.69 (<0.001) | 0.3 (–0.2 to 0.8) | –3.9 (–4.7 to–3.0) | 4.6 (3.7 to 5.4) |
| TCC | 3.3 | 3.8 | 0.56 (<0.001) | –0.5 (–1.4 to 0.4) | –8.4 (–10.0 to–6.8) | 7.4 (5.8 to 9.0) | |
| Epithelial | % | 9.7 | 10.5 | 0.84 (<0.001) | –0.8 (–3.5 to 1.9) | –23.8 (–28.4 to–19.2) | 22.2 (17.6 to 26.8) |
| TCC | 7.4 | 10.3 | 0.54 (<0.001) | –2.9 (–8.0 to 2.2) | –46.7 (–55.5 to–37.9) | 40.9 (32.1 to 49.6) |
Means for the right and left sides are given together with the Pearson's correlation coefficient and p value of correlation. The mean difference including 95% confidence intervals (CI) are shown for each cell type together with the upper (ULA) and lower (LLA) limits of agreement obtained by the method described by Bland and Altman.25 Total cell counts were obtained from the total white cell count and differential count for each cell type and are expressed as 104 cells/ml BAL fluid.