| pubmed-article:2440082 | pubmed:abstractText | The diffuse obstructive and infiltrative lung diseases (e.g. bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis, fibrosing alveolitis, sarcoidosis) contribute significantly to human morbidity and mortality. Disturbance of ventilation and perfusion represents a major physiologic defect in these diseases, resulting in pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale and right heart failure. Immunologic and surfactant alterations play a prominent role in these diseases. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that surfactant is a most important material in maintaining airway patency. General concepts regarding these functions in human adult lung diseases and results of investigations of surfactant in an animal model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis are presented. | lld:pubmed |
