Increased Airway Vascularity in Newly Diagnosed Asthma Using a High-magnification Bronchovideoscope

摘要: Hypervascularity in the bronchial wall is part of airway remodeling, but has remained an ill-defined process asthma pathogenesis. Previous morphologic assessment been limited to biopsy specimens, and therefore a high-magnification bronchovideoscope (side-viewing type) was developed for less invasive examination subepithelial vessels. We evaluated vascularity lower trachea, using this novel scope 12 normal control subjects, 13 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 24 subjects stable asthma; 8 were steroid naive newly diagnosed (Group A) 16 had treated inhaled corticosteroids more than 5 years B). The redness mucosa observed by conventional fiberoptic bronchoscopy proved be due fine vascular network. Morphometric measurements vessels showed that both vessel area density length significantly (p<0.0001) increased as compared disease. degree increase did not differ between Group A B. present even asthma. This useful network surface lumen vivo.