[Pathophysiology of chronic obstructive lung diseases].

Chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) includes chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. Bronchial obstruction can be caused by intraluminal processes (mucous secretion) as well as alterations of the bronchial wall (i.e. spasm of bronchial smooth muscle, hypertrophy of mucous glands, cellular infiltrates) or of the lung parenchyma (destruction of pulmonary structures). The development of pulmonary emphysema may be related to an imbalance of oxidants and antioxidants as well as that of elastases and anti-elastases. Smoking appears to play the most important role in this process.