[The Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Emphysema - Laennec was right!]

[The Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Emphysema - Laennec was right!] Pneumologie. 2018 Dec 03;: Authors: Koehler U, Hildebrandt O, Dittrich M, Koehler N, Weissflog A Abstract Pulmonary emphysema is characterised by irreversible destruction and enlargement of alveolar structure distal to terminal bronchioles. Small conducting airways < 2 mm in diameter are the major site of chronic airway inflammation and obstruction in COPD patients. 80 - 90 % of the last generation of small conducting airways, the terminal bronchioles, are destroyed in patients with very severe COPD. Recent data showing, that small airways disease is also a pathological feature in patients with COPD GOLD stage 1 and 2. Although 40 % of terminal and 60 % of transitional bronchioles were destroyed, there was no sign for emphysema. Only a significant loss of terminal and respiratory bronchioles seems to be able to induce pulmonary emphysema and respiratory symptoms. PMID: 30508847 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Pneumologie - Category: Respiratory Medicine Tags: Pneumologie Source Type: research