[Morphological changes in the lung blood vessels in diabetes mellitus]

Examinations of the lung vessels in diabetes of various degrees of severity and duration revealed changes in the vessels similar to diabetic microangiopathy in other organs (kidneys, skin). Manifestations of diabetic microangiopathy in the lungs are most marked in arterioles and capillaries of the alveolar septae. Diabetic microangiopathy in the lungs is characterized by phenomena of plasmorrhagy and insudation, thickening of capillary basal membranes, sclerosis and hyalinosis of capillary and arteriola walls, and accumulation of alveolar macrophages resorbing metabolism products in alveolar lumen. Diabetic microangiopathy leads to the development of alveolar septae sclerosis and to centrilobular pulmonary emphysema. As compared with the involvement of the vessels in the kidneys and the skin, manifestations of diabetic microangiopathy in the lungs lag in their development and are less manifest.