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Morphometric examination of native lungs in human lung allograft recipients
Author(s) -
WIEBE B. M.,
BURTON C. M.,
MILMAN N.,
IVERSEN M.,
ANDERSEN C. B.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2006.apm_508.x
Subject(s) - copd , medicine , lung , cystic fibrosis , lung transplantation , stereology , pulmonary function testing , pathogenesis , lung volumes , pathology , alveolar wall , transplantation , gastroenterology
The aim of the study was to estimate the degree of lung damage in patients with α 1 ‐antitrypsin (α1AT) deficiency, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis (CF) at the time of lung transplantation. Using unbiased stereological methods, lung‐, bronchial‐ and vessel‐volume, capillary length, and alveolar surface area and densities were estimated in recipient lungs from 21 consecutive patients with pre‐transplant diagnoses including COPD (n=7), α1AT deficiency (n=6) and CF (n=8). Six unused adult donor lungs served as controls. Information relating to patient demography and pre‐transplant lung function was obtained by retrospective chart review. Disease groups differed significantly with respect to demographics and pre‐transplant lung function. Total lung volume was similar in all groups. Bronchial volume was significantly larger in CF patients compared to the control group (p<0.0001) and to the other two diagnostic groups: α1AT deficiency (p=0.0001) and COPD (p<0.0001). Alveolar surface density and capillary length density were significantly lower in patients with α1AT deficiency and COPD compared to controls (p<0.0001, respectively) and to patients with CF (p<0.0002, respectively). There were no correlations between clinical lung function and morphometric measurements. We conclude that unbiased microscopic stereological morphometry is an evolving science with the potential to elucidate pulmonary disease pathogenesis.