Cellular composition of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was compared　between two age-matched steroid-dependent　intractable asthma (SDIA) groups : 17 group A patients (serum IgG level < 1000mg/dℓ) whose immunity was regarded as being　suppressed by long-term glucocorticoid therapy and 17 group B patients (serum IgG level > 1200mg/dℓ). 1. The levels of serum IgA and IgM were significantly decreased in group A compared to the levels in group B patients. 2. The number of blood lymphocytes was also significantly lower in group A than in group B patients. However, the number of blood neutrophils was not different between the two asthma groups. 3.The number of BAL lymphocytes was significantly lower in group A than in group B patients. 4. BAL neutrophilia (more than 1.5×10 (4)/mℓ) was observed in 6 of the 17(35.3%) patients in group A, but not observed in any patients in group B. The number of BAL neutrophils was significantly greater in group A than in group B　patients. These results suggest that there is a correlation between immunosuppression by glucocorticoids and BAL neutrophilia in patients with bronchial asthma.