Respiratory Pathology Flashcards
What are common causes of nasal polyp?
repeated bouts of rhinitis, children with cystic fibrosis, and aspirin intolerant asthma
What is an angiofibroma? What population is it seen in?
benign tumor of nasal mucosa made of large blood vessels and fibrous tissue, seen in adolescent males with epistaxis
Histology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
pleomorphic keratin-positive poorly differentiated squamous cells in backround of lymphocytes
What is the common cause of Laryngeal Papilloma and what are the sxs?
benign papillary tumor of vocal cord due to HPV 6 and 11. Single nodules in adults and multiple nodules in children. Presents with hoarsness
What are the classic gross phases of lobar pneumonia?
Congestion: due to congested vessels and edema
Red hepatization: due to exudate, neutrophils and hemorrhage filling alveolar air spaces, giving the normally spong lung a solid consistency
Gray hepatization: due to degradation of red cells within the exudate
Resolution: type II pneumocytes regenerature normal tissue
What type of bacteria is seen in aspiration pneumonia?
anaerobic bacteria, bacteroides, fusobacterium, peptococcus
When do you usually see Klebsiella pneumoniae?
elderly in nursing homes, alcoholics, diabetics. current jelly sputum, often complicated by abscess
What are the 2 main causes of lobar pneumonia
S. pneumo and Klebsiella
What are the main causes of bronchopneumonia?
S. aureus, H. flu, Pseudomonas, moraxella catarrhalis, legionella
High yield facts about moraxella catarrhalis?
community-acquired pneumoni and pneumonia superimposed on COPD (leads to exacerbation)
What are the comon causes of interstitial (atypical) pneumonia?
Mycoplasma, chlamydia, RSV, CMV, influenza, voxiella burnettii
What lobe would you except to find consolidation in aspiration pneumonia?
right lower lobe! (R. mainstem bronchus branches at a less acute angle than the left, easier to fall down this path)
What happens to the FEV1/FVC ratio in COPD?
decreased ratio. FVC decreases but FEV1 decreases to a greater degree
Why are patients with chronic bronchitis called “blue bloaters”?
Hypoxia/cyanosis occurs early in the disease course. Mucous plugs the airway and leads to increased PaCO2 and decrease PaO2. Also they tend to be stocky
2 common consequences of chronic bronchitis?
infection and cor pulmonale. Remember if you plug anything, infection is more likely to occur behind the blockage. Also, if there is a blockage aka poor ventilation due to mucus, then blood will be shunted toward a more ventilated area of the lung and the arterioles near the poorly ventilated area will constrict, this increases the pressure that the R heart needs to pump against and can lead to right heart failure.
What is cor pulmonale?
abnormal enlargement of the right side of the heart in response to disease of pulmonary blood vessels
What is the role of A1AT (alpha1-antitrypsin)?
neutralizes protesases and protects the alveoli
What type of emphysema does smoking put you at risk for?
centriacinar emphysema in the upper lobes of the lung (smoke rises!)
What type of emphysema is seen in A1AT deficiency?
panacinar in the lower lobes
How does A1AT deficiency lead to cirrhosis?
A1AT is made in the liver, the issue is that it is a misfolded protein. Gets stuck in the hepatocyte ER and results in liver damage.
What is the clinically significant mutation seen in A1AT deficiency?
PiZ= super low levels of A1AT
PiZZ- homozygous for the mutant allele
PiMM is homozygous norm
Why is emphysema called pink puffer?
patients are not cyanotic until much later on in the disease and they breath out really slowly through pursed lips (creates a increased back pressure so the alveoli dont collapse). thin patients (lose weight due to increased work of breathing)
What happens to the FRC in emphysema?
increased
In asthma, which leukotrienes promoted bronchoconstriction, inflammation and edema?
LC4, LD4, LE4.
What are the histological findings of asthma?
spiral-shaped mucus plugs (Curschmann spirals) and eosinohpil-derived crystals (Charcot-Leyden crystals)
What causes bronchiectasis?
permanent dilatation of bronchioles and bronchi due to necrotizing inflammation with damage to airway walls.
Which patients get bronchiectasis?
Cystic fibrosis, Kartageners and ABPA
What are some complications of bronchiectasis?
hypoxemia with cor pulmonale and secondary AA amyloidosis (SAA is an acute phase protein, present in chronic inflammation and leads to increased AA deposition in tissues)