Lupus: Open Access
Open Access

Department of Pathology, University of Latvia, Raina Bulvaris 19, Riga, Latvia

Publications

• Mini Review   
  The Role of Small Airways in Connective Tissue Disorders
  Author(s): Taivans Immanuels* and Strazda Gunta
  
  The role of small airways in the pathogenesis of interstitial lung diseases is not well understood because this lung area is overlooked in conventional lung function testing methods. Only in recent years new approaches has been developed allowing us to investigate in more detail this silent lung zone. Small airways are membranous bronchi with diameter less than 2 mm which are incorporated into elastic lung network and which patency changes depending of respiratory phase. Pathologic changes in lung parenchyma influence patency of small bronchi and vice versa-the closure of small bronchi induces ventilation/perfusion mismatch in lungs that results in hypoxemia. High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) can visualize small airways, detect wall thickness and presence of pathologic processes in and around airways walls but cannot evaluate the impact of the lesion into overall lung functio.. View More»
  DOI: 10.35248/2684-1630.23.08.220

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