Table 1.
Inflammatory parameters used in the histological assessment [26].
| Parameter | Grade | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mononuclear (inflammatory) cell infiltrate | 0 | Normal aspect: 0–10 cells/HPF |
| 1 | Discrete inflammation: 11–30 cells/HPF | |
| 2 | Moderate inflammation: 31–50 cells/HPF | |
| 3 | Severe inflammation: >50 cells/ HPF | |
| Edema | 0 | No edema |
| 1 | Focal sub-epithelial edema | |
| 2 | Diffuse sub-epithelial edema | |
| 3 | Diffuse sub-epithelial and intraglandular edema | |
| Cilia | 0 | Normal aspect |
| 1 | Shortened cilia | |
| 2 | Dotted cilia disappearance | |
| 3 | Lack of cilia | |
| Goblet cells | 0 | Normal aspect: 0 cells/HPF |
| 1 | Discrete inflammation: 0–30 cells/HPF | |
| 2 | Moderate inflammation: 31–50 cells/HPF | |
| 3 | Severe inflammation: >50 cells/HPF | |
| Fibrosis | 0 | No fibrosis |
| 1 | Sub-epithelial fibrosis | |
| 2 | Sub-epithelial and interglandular fibrosis | |
| 3 | Diffuse fibrosis (sub-epithelial and interglandular) with compression atrophy of glands and capillaries | |
| Epithelial hyperplasia | 0 | No epithelial hyperplasia |
| 1 | Dotted hyperplasia | |
| 2 | Diffuse hyperplasia | |
| Squamous metaplasia | 0 | No squamous metaplasia |
| 1 | Immature squamous metaplasia/dotted | |
| 2 | Mature squamous metaplasia/diffuse |
HPF = high-pass filter, 40×.