[Status of the bronchi in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and different haptoglobin phenotype].

External respiration function test and bronchologic examination were conducted in 206 pulmonary tuberculosis patients with different haptoglobin (Hp) phenotypes. It was found that obstructive changes in peripheral portions of the bronchial tree were most common and marked among the revealed disorders of pulmonary ventilation function. These changes promote a decrease in the ventilation reserve to a great extent. As compared to Hp 2-1 carriers, specific endobronchitis and bronchial obstruction symptoms were significantly more frequent in patients with Hp 2-2. Bronchial obstruction symptoms alone were twice as frequent as in patients with Hp 1-1 than in Hp 2-1 carriers. The findings indicate that there is a close relationship between the status of the bronchi in pulmonary tuberculosis patients and the genetically determined Hp phenotype.