Préfaut C, Macklem P T
Rev Fr Mal Respir. 1981;9(6):433-44.
The authors define small airways disease and then describe its anatomical characteristics. In the early stage bronchial inflammation is found along with arterial lesions. As the disease develops, there are multiple bronchial and vascular alterations, often accompanied by emphysema. The few existing studies of the morphology/lung function test correlation show a relationship between small airways disease and abnormal respiratory function tests. One of the aims was to find the most sensitive and specific tests using the smoker as a model. However, as only 25% of smokers develop clinical abnormalities, the main problem is probably not early screening, but finding the parameter with the highest prognostic value. This should be the FEVI, measured at about age 40. At a younger age, the information is still too incomplete. More studies are needed to justify early screening. Finally, the authors discuss the procedure to be followed when abnormalities are detected, and its possible consequences on lung function and behaviour.
作者对小气道疾病进行了定义，然后描述了其解剖学特征。在疾病早期，可发现支气管炎症以及动脉病变。随着疾病发展，会出现多种支气管和血管改变，常伴有肺气肿。现有的少数关于形态学/肺功能测试相关性的研究表明，小气道疾病与呼吸功能测试异常之间存在关联。目的之一是以吸烟者为模型寻找最敏感和特异的测试。然而，由于只有25%的吸烟者会出现临床异常，主要问题可能不是早期筛查，而是找到具有最高预后价值的参数。这个参数应该是在大约40岁时测量的第一秒用力呼气容积（FEV1）。在较年轻时，信息仍不完整。需要更多研究来证明早期筛查的合理性。最后，作者讨论了检测到异常时应遵循的程序及其对肺功能和行为可能产生的后果。
