title: [Macroscopic and microscopic lesions in bronchial asthma].
abstract: Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by reversible airways obstruction, inflammation, and increased bronchial hyperresponsivennes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the macroscopic and microscopic airways lesions, using bronhoscopy followed by biopsy in 38 cases of Outpatient Department from Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases Iaşi, investigated between January 2005 - June 2008. Patients distribution according to the degree of severity was performed, using the international recommendations for asthma management of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA): intermittent (n=7 patients), mild persistent (n=10 patients), moderate persistent (n=16 patients), and severe persistent (n=5 patients). 23,68% of patients had a chronic disease of more than 15 years. The endoscopic changes of the peripheral airways were represented by edema, congestion, bronchial stenosis and mucus hypersecretion. Microscopic routine exam showed epithelial lesions (epithelial desquamation, goblet cell hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia), basement membrane thickening, edema, increased vascularisation, glandular and muscular hypertrophy and bronchial inflammatory infiltrate. Although bronhoscopy exam offers important information regarding changes of the airway mucosa in bronchial asthma, it concomitantly provide bioptic control, as microscopic examination still represents the "gold standard" assessment of bronchial wall remodeling process.
authors.affiliation: Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie Gr. T. Popa Iaşi, Facultatea de Medicină, Disciplina de Histologie.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grigoraş
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amălinei
authors.forename: Raluca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mihăescu
authors.forename: Ludmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liliac
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: Irina Draga
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Căruntu
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000473:pathology*; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D004727:Endothelium / Q000473:pathology; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index