Table 2. Differences in histology in bronchi and bronchioles.
| Histological change | Bronchi (n=27)* | Bronchioles (n=44)* | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epithelial hyperplasia | 25 (92.6) | 43 (97.7) | 0.141 |
| Mild-moderate# | 13 (48.2) | 29 (65.9) | 0.139 |
| Severe## | 12 (44.5) | 14 (31.8) | 0.284 |
| Goblet cell hyperplasia | 20 (74.1) | 35 (79.6) | 0.592 |
| Goblet cell hypertrophy | 17 (63.0) | 10 (22.7) | 0.001 |
| Goblet cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy | 15 (55.6) | 9 (20.5) | 0.004 |
| Squamous metaplasia | 2 (7.4) | 1 (2.3) | 0.141 |
| Cilia length, µm | 8.16 (7.03–9.14) | 7.46 (6.41–8.48) | <0.0001** |
Data are presented as number (%), and median (interquartile range). #, mild-moderate epithelial hyperplasia is defined as the presence of 5–6 cell layers in bronchi and 3–4 cell layers in bronchioles; ##, Severe epithelial hyperplasia is defined as >6 cell layers in bronchi and > 4 cell layers in bronchioles; *, Bronchi only, bronchioles only and both bronchi and bronchiole structures were seen in 7, 24 and 20 specimens respectively; **, Compared to median lengths of bronchi and bronchioles in non-diseased control regions i.e., 5.60 (4.99–6.61) µm and 4.89 (4.50–5.99) µm respectively.