[The state of bronchial ciliated epithelium and mucociliary transport during chronic bronchitis in long-term smokers]

Endoscopic examination of the bronchial tree and investigation of pulmonary mucociliary transport by aerosol scintigraphy of the lungs were carried out in 40 patients and 10 controls. All the patients had exacerbation of chronic obstructive bronchitis. 20 of these were smokers and 20 nonsmokers. Healthy controls without lung pathology have never smoked. The findings indicate that in chronic sufferers with bronchitis and long history of smoking the rate of mucociliary clearance is reduced to 44% of the normal value and to 65% of the value for nonsmoking patients. This evidence is confirmed by the data obtained on the involvement of bronchial mucosa epithelium and at histologic examination of biopsy specimens.