Structural aspects of airway inflammation in COPD.

Abstract: Descriptions of pathology of chronic bronchitis in the past have been mainly focused on mucous gland hypertrophy, since this was considered the morphologic basis of the disease, but more recent studies have suggested a pathogenetic role for airway inflammation in subjects with chronic bronchitis. In the present review, we briefly summarize the results of these latter studies, which describe the nature of airway inflammation and the state of activation of inflammatory cells in the bronchial mucosa of subjects with chronic bronchitis.