TABLE 1.
Histomorphometric measurements.
| Linear measurements (1D) (μm) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Internal perimeter (IP) | MT | Outline of the internal epithelium |
| Internal diameter (ID) | MT | Longest distance between epitheliums |
| Number of peribronchial nerves (NBN) | MT | Number of nerves in the peribronchial region |
| Number of perivascular nerves (NVN) | MT | Number of nerves in the perivascular region |
| Number of smooth muscle associated nerves (NBN‐ASM) | MT | Number of nerves within or lining the airway smooth muscle |
| Bidimensional measurements (2D) (μm2) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lumen area (LA) | MT | Area enclosed by the internal perimeter |
| Airway smooth muscle area (ASM‐MT) | MT | Sum of smooth muscle area measured by tracing the border of airway smooth muscle bundles |
| Vascular smooth muscle area (VSM) | MT | Sum of smooth muscle area measured by tracing the border of vascular smooth muscle bundles |
| Airway smooth muscle area (ASM‐PC) | PC | Sum of smooth muscle area measured by tracing the border of airway smooth muscle bundles |
| Cumulative nerve area (CNA) | PC | Sum of nerve‐positive points × 81.29 μm2 |
| Airway smooth muscle associated nerve area (CNA‐ASM) | PC | Sum of smooth muscle‐associated nerve‐positive points × 81.29 μm2 |
Abbreviations: MT, morphometric tracing; PC, point counting analysis.