title: [Anatomo-pathologic lesions and gas exchange abnormalities in COPD].
abstract: Pulmonary emphysema and bronchiolar abnormalities are the most characteristic histological lesions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Hypoxemia and hypercapnia are mainly due to ventilation-perfusion mismatching. Under stable clinical conditions, both intrapulmonary shunt and limitation of oxygen transport from the alveoli to the capillary do not play a critical role in the observed arterial oxygen pressure. During acute exacerbations, ventilation-perfusion inequality worsens, and some cases show mild to moderate shunting. Under these conditions extrapulmonary factors such as breathing pattern, cardiac output, and oxygen uptake have a crucial role in influencing the arterial oxygen pressure.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clinic, Département de médecine, Université de Barcelone, Espagne.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Barberà
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Roisin
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000502:physiology*
vernacular_title: Lésions anatomopathologiques et anomalies des échanges gazeux des BPCO.