Nugent K
Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock 79430.
Semin Respir Infect. 1994 Mar;9(1):3-7.
This article reviews the potential significance of chronic bronchitis in the development of reversible and irreversible chronic airflow limitation. Because chronic bronchitis is more prevalent than either asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it has the potential to influence the natural history of these two diseases. However, chronic bronchitis does not cause significant obstructive defects in the absence of small airway disease or emphysema and does not significantly contribute to the decline in pulmonary function seen in COPD. In addition, the bronchial hyperreactivity associated with chronic bronchitis has characteristics that clearly distinguish it from asthma. Hence, chronic bronchitis largely reflects cigarette injury to the bronchial mucosa and develops in tandem with emphysema and small airway disease rather than as an essential precursor.
本文综述了慢性支气管炎在可逆性和不可逆性慢性气流受限发展过程中的潜在意义。由于慢性支气管炎比哮喘或慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）更为常见，它有可能影响这两种疾病的自然病程。然而，在没有小气道疾病或肺气肿的情况下，慢性支气管炎不会导致明显的阻塞性缺陷，也不会对COPD患者肺功能的下降有显著影响。此外，与慢性支气管炎相关的支气管高反应性具有明显区别于哮喘的特征。因此，慢性支气管炎很大程度上反映了香烟对支气管黏膜的损伤，它与肺气肿和小气道疾病同时发生，而不是作为一个必要的前驱病变。
