Publication
Title
Small airways disease in pre-COPD with emphysema : a cross-sectional study
Author
Abstract
Rationale: Small airway disease is an important pathophysiological feature of COPD. Recently, pre-COPD has been put forward as potential precursor stage of COPD, defined by abnormal spirometry or significant emphysema on CT in the absence of airflow obstruction. Methods: We collected whole lungs/lung lobes from patients with emphysematous pre-COPD (n=10), COPD GOLD I (n=6), GOLD II (n=6), GOLD III/IV (n=7) and controls (n=10) which were analyzed using CT and microCT. The degree of emphysema and the number and morphology of small airways was compared between the different groups and further correlations were investigated with physiologic measures. Airway and parenchymal pathology was also validated with histopathology. Measurements and Main Results: The number of transitional bronchioles (TrB)/mL and terminal bronchioles (TB)/mL was significantly lower in pre-COPD, GOLD I, GOLD II and GOLD III/IV compared to controls. In addition, the number of alveolar attachments of the TrB and TB was also lower in pre-COPD and all COPD groups compared to controls. We did not find any differences between the pre-COPD and COPD group in either CT or microCT measures. The % of emphysema on CT showed the strongest correlation with the number of small airways, also in patients without airflow obstruction. Histopathology showed an increase in the mean chord length and a decrease in the alveolar surface density in pre-COPD and all GOLD stages compared to control. Conclusion: Lungs of patients with emphysematous pre-COPD already show lower small airway number and airway remodeling and in the absence of physiologic airway obstruction.
Language
English
Source (journal)
American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine. - New York, 1994, currens
Publication
New York : 2024
ISSN
1073-449X [print]
1535-4970 [online]
DOI
10.1164/RCCM.202301-0132OC
Volume/pages
209 :6 (2024) , p. 683-692
ISI
001208538000011
Pubmed ID
38055196
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
The role of the (micro-) vasculature in complications after lungtransplantation.
Impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) severity and disease phenotypes on bronchial epithelial cell immune responses to (non-)infective triggers.
In-depth investigation of small airway remodeling in COPD phenotypes and its relation with clinical and physiological markers.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 09.12.2023
Last edited 06.07.2024
To cite this reference