Age as a Factor in the Distribution of Lower-Airway Conductance and in the Pathologic Anatomy of Obstructive Lung Disease

Abstract

Measurements with a retrograde catheter technic showed little change with age in the conductance of airways central to those of the twelfth to the fifteenth generation. Conductance of peripheral airways, on the other hand, rose sharply at about five years of age. Morphologic measurements suggested that changes in the linear dimension of peripheral airways were responsible for the increase observed. Lower-airway disease appeared to be a common factor in bronchiolitis, fibrocystic disease and bronchiectasis. The age of the patient may determine to a large extent the type of resulting anatomic disorder.