[Possibilities of bronchoscopy in evaluating the activity of the inflammatory process in chronic bronchitis patients].

Interrelationships between the intensity of signs of endobronchitis and indices of the activity of an inflammatory process were studied in bronchoscopic and biochemical investigation of patients with chronic bronchitis. With an increase in the activity of an inflammatory process certain regularities of change in a bronchoscopic picture were noted. The author showed linear relationship and significant correlation between the signs of endobronchitis assessed by a qualitative-quantitative analysis, and biochemical indices of the activity of an inflammatory process. The established relationships raised the potentialities of bronchoscopy in assessment of the activity of an inflammatory process in patients with chronic bronchitis creating the necessary prerequisites for pathogenetically substantiated treatment taking account of a differentiated approach to the intensity of endobronchial signs of disease.