Which of the following is not a feature of bronchial asthma?: (A) Thickening of bronchial wall, (B) Increase in number of airway goblet cells, (C) Fibroblastic foci, (D) Sub-basement membrane fibrosis
Answer is C. Fibroblastic foci (exuberant proliferation of fibroblasts) is a feature of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Bronchial asthma is an example of Type I Hypersensitivity reaction and is characterised by airway remodeling which includes: Thickening of bronchial wall with hyperophy and/or hyperplasia of bronchial smooth muscles Increase in size of submucosal glands and number of goblet cells Increased vascularity Sub-basement membrane fibrosis (due to deposition of type I and III collagens) Key points - Sputum findings in bronchial asthma: Curshmann spirals - impacted mucin plugs Charcot Leyden crystals - Eosinophil crushing aefact Creola bodies - damaged respiratory epithelial cells