title: [Pathological changes of upper and lower respiratory tissue in rats with chronic intermittent hypoxia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the pathological changes of chronic intermittent hypoxia on upper and lower respiratory tissue in experimental rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 40 female SD rats were divided into 2 groups. Twenty rats were fed in normal state (control group), and 20 rats were fed in hypoxia environment (hypoxia group). The pathological changes of upper and lower respiratory tissue were observed under optical microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chronic intermittent hypoxia resulted in irreversible changes both at upper and lower respiratory tract in rats. The thickness of the lamina propria in soft palate was significantly increased in hypoxia group (125.85 ± 6.34) µm vs. (57.26 ± 4.67) µm (t=36.330, P<0.01). Lung pathological examination in hypoxia group showed pulmonary interval thickening (2.15 ± 0.49) µm vs. (0.45 ± 0.12) µm (t=14.132, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirmed that long-term hypoxia can lead to organization reconstruction in upper and lower respiratory tract in rats. In OSAHS patients, it is suggested that earlier intervention could alliviate the pathological changes in respiratory system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710077, China.
authors.forename: Liqiao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ming
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Jinan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Email: 2426801650@qq.com, Department of Anesthesia, First Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Medical University, 710077 Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000473:pathology*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D010159:Palate / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive