Bronchial arteries: an arteriosclerosis-resistant circulation.

BACKGROUND Until now, it is unknown whether and to what extent arteriosclerotic disease affects the bronchial arteries. OBJECTIVES We conducted this pilot study to estimate the prevalence of arteriosclerosis of the bronchial arteries, to correlate it with certain clinicolaboratory arteriosclerotic parameters or any coexistent coronary artery disease (CAD) and to validate the clinical significance. METHODS Bronchial arteries 10-15 mm long were obtained from 40 patients with a mean age of 62.3 years who underwent major thoracic procedures. Their medical history and detailed clinical and laboratory arteriosclerotic risk factors were documented. RESULTS The mean diameter of bronchial artery specimens was 0.97 mm. Histology revealed medial calcific sclerosis only in 1 patient (2.5%) without simultaneous, established atherosclerotic lesions or narrowing of the lumen. Furthermore, the vessel diameter was significantly correlated not only with the advanced stage of the disease (p = 0.031), but also with the proximal occlusion of the bronchial tree (p = 0.042). We noted a marginally not significant correlation between arteriosclerosis and metabolic syndrome (p = 0.075), independent from a history of CAD (p = 0.84). CONCLUSIONS Bronchial arteries exhibit only medial calcific sclerosis. CAD and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease do not seem to affect them in terms of atherosclerotic alteration findings or vessel diameter changes. The bronchial resistance to arteriosclerosis might support the mediastinal status quo through their anastomoses, contributing to all its structures, and might be indirect evidence of a different physiological function of the bronchial endothelium, which needs to be further investigated.