Bronchial Mucology and Related Diseases [antikvár]

Preface Every day we breathe approximately 15,000 liters of air, which deposit different types of biological, physical, and chemical pollutants on the mucosa of the respiratory tree. The production of the mucous secretion that covers and » protects part of the respiratory airways is one of the primary defense mechanisms of the bronchial mucosa. Bronchial secretions are continuously cleared by the ciliated epithelium. Frequently in pathological situations, there is a reactive defensive disturbance, with production of modified mucus, and impairment of mucociliary clearance. This alteration of mucus is the "common denominator" in chronic bronchitis, asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and pulmonary infections -somé of the topics treated in this book. During the past year, more than 130 articles have been published on bronchial mucus: its pathology, chemistry, pharmacology, technical approaches and clinical instruments, disorders, and related therapy-a testament to the growing interest in this topic. This is the third volume of a series titled Bronchial Mucology The first volume was Methods in Bronchial Mucology,; the second was Drugs in Bronchial Mucology, and the logical completion of the trilogy on mucology is Bronchial Mucology and Related Diseases. The books in this series will help people working in lung diseases and mucology. We hope that in the near future, just as physicians ask for routine blood analysis or urine analysis, pneumologists will ask for routine mucus analysis and be able to treat their patients logically and effectively. Luigi Allegra Pier Carlo Braga