[Central and peripheral airways as determinants of ventilatory function in patients with chronic bronchitis, emphysema and bronchial asthma].

We studied central and peripheral airways as determinants of ventilatory function in patients with chronic bronchitis (CB), bronchial asthma (BA), and emphysema (CPE), which were identified using the selective alveolobronchogram (SAB) (see reference 14). First, the relationship between SAB and morphologic findings in the airway was examined in 16 autopsy lungs. The irregularity indices of both central (C-II) and peripheral airways (P-II), obtained from SAB, showed a significant correlation with pathologic abnormalities in both airways (p < 0.01). Second, SAB were obtained in 38 CB, 25 BA, and 62 CPE patients in whom pulmonary function tests were performed. In CB, C-II were significantly correlated with P-II (p < 0.001). In CB, inspiratory lung resistance (Rl) was significantly correlated with P-II (p < 0.001) and with C-II (p < 0.01), and FEV1/VC% was significantly correlated with P-II (p < 0.001) but not with C-II. In BA and CPE, little correlation was observed between any SAB parameter and Rl or FEV1/VC...