Bronchiolar wall changes in sudden infant death syndrome: morphometric study of a new observation.
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) infants have significantly thicker and more cellular bronchiolar walls than control infants of similar age. A morphometric study of 25 SIDS and 18 control infants was undertaken to measure the bronchiolar wall thickness using a Cue-2 image analysis system. A mathematical formula (relative index) was used to compare the thickness of bronchioles of varying diameter. Data analysis using a nested design two-way analysis of variance and covariance of the measured bronchioles showed a significant difference between the SIDS and control infants with a P value less than .001. Manual counting of the cells in the bronchiolar walls and data analysis using an unpaired two-tailed t test showed that the SIDS infants had a significantly greater number of cells than control infants (P less than .01). Our preliminary results indicate that the cells in the bronchiolar wall are either peripheral nerve-derived (Schwann cells) or Langerhans cells. We postulate that these cells are increased in number in response to chronic hypoxia in SIDS infants.
Haque
A K
AK
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
Mancuso
M G
MG
Hokanson
J
J
Nguyen
N D
ND
Nichols
M M
MM
D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000473:pathology; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000473:pathology*