Pathology of restrictive lung disease Flashcards
What is the interstitium of the lung?
It is the connective tissue space around the airways and vessels and the space between the basement membranes of the alveolar walls.
How do most of the alveolar epithelial (pneumocyte) & interstitial capillary endothelial cell basement membranes interact in the normal alveolar wall?
Most of them are in direct contact
What are implications of diffuse interstitial lung disease?
- Reduced lung compliance: stiff lungs.
- Low FEV1 & low FVC but FEV1/FVC ratio is normal.
- Reduced gas transfer (Tco or Kco): diffusion abnormality.
- Ventilation/Perfusion imbalance: when small airways affected by pathology.
Presentation of diffuse lung disease
- Discovery of abnormal chest X-ray
- Dyspnoea: shortness of breath on exertion, shortness of breath at rest.
- Respiratory failure: Type 1.
- Heart failure
What 2 main responses can occur from parenchymal (interstitial) lung injury?
Acute response and Chronic response
What other responses can a chronic response lead to?
- Usual interstitial pneumonitis UIP
- Granulomatous responses
- Other patterns
All of these result in fibrosis or end-stage honeycomb lung.
What causes is diffuse alveolar damage associated with?
- Major trauma
- Chemical injury/ toxic inhalation
- Circulatory shock
- Drugs
- Infection
- Auto (immune) disease
- Radiation
Histological features of DADS (diffuse alveolar damage)
- Protein rich oedema
- Fibrin
- Hyaline membranes
- ## Denuded basement membranes
What is Sarcoidosis?
A multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown aetiology.
Histopathology of sarcoidosis
- Epithelioid and giant cell granulomas
- Necrosis/caseation very unusual
- Little lymphoid infiltrate
- Variable associated fibrosis
Who does sarcoidosis normally affect?
Commonly affects young adults, F>M
Which organs are mainly involved in sarcoidosis?
Lymph nodes - Almost 100% Lungs - >90% Spleen - 75% Liver - 70% Skin, eyes, skeletal muscle - 50% Bone marrow - 20% Salivary glands - up to 50%
Presentation of sarcoidosis in young adults
- Acute arthralgia, joint pain
- Erythema nodosum, swollen fat under skin
- Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, enlargement of lymph nodes of pulmonary hilar.
What would you use to treat sarcoidosis?
Corticosteroids
What would you use to diagnose sarcoidosis?
- Clinical findings
- Imaging findings
- Serum Ca++ and ACE
- Biopsy