MORPHOFUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS BRONCHIAL TREE IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE AT HIGH ALTITUDE

Abstract

The aim is to study the morphological and functional changes of the bronchial tree in COPD in high mountains. Material autopsy study were taken at autopsy lungs the health of 25 deceased patients with COPD indigenous highlands (2500-3000 m above sea level) and comparative morphological analysis examined the lungs of deceased 32 patients with COPD residents lowlands (760 m above sea level). Control for them were light 10 indigenous highlands and the lowlands of 15 residents, accidentally killed in an accident (traumatic brain injury, traumatic shock) without cardiopulmonary disease, matched by age, sex. Used histological and morphometric methods. Results: in the morphological study of the bronchial tree deceased patients with COPD indigenous highlands compared to patients who died from COPD residents lowlands revealed inflammatory changes in the wall of the cartilaginous bronchi - catarrhal, catarrhal-sclerosing and purulent catarrh, including goblet cell hyperplasia basal cell proliferation, lymphohistiocytic infiltration of the lamina propria of the mucosa, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of submucosal glands layer with the expansion of their excretory ducts. In the terminal bronchioles observed lymphohistiocytic infiltration wall hypertrophy and atrophy of the muscle membrane, wall fibrosis by increasing the number of myofibroblasts, which leads to narrowing of the lumen (obstruction) of the bronchioles.