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Obstructive respiratory illnesses are characterized by an increased difficulty exhaling much of the air in the lungs. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are two of the most common obstructive respiratory illnesses. Asthma is due to allergen hypersensitivity and can be identified by temporary airway inflammation, which causes the bronchioles to narrow. The decreased airway diameter increases the resistance to airflow. Subsequently, air becomes "trapped" in the lungs, restricting the amount of air that can be moved in each breath.COPD refers to a spectrum of disorders and can be a result of emphysema, the irreversible destruction of pulmonary tissue. The breakdown of elastic proteins in the lungs results in a loss of pulmonary resiliency and chronic lung hyperinflation. Because the walls between individual alveoli are broken down, the alveolar sacs that remain are larger.Lung diseases can be diagnosed and monitored using spirometry. A spirometer measures the flow rate and volume of inhaled and exhaled air. In one pulmonary test, a patient is asked to exhale forcibly and completely into a spirometer after maximum inhalation. This test is done to measure the patient's forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) , the total amount of air exhaled in a single breath.
Figure 1 Forced expiratory spirogram of a healthy individual
Adapted from T. Barreiro, "An Approach to Interpreting Spirometry." American Family Physician. ©2004 AAFP.
-Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) , a rare disease that impairs the normal function of cilia, is often misdiagnosed as atypical asthma because wheezing is observed in both illnesses. Unlike asthma, PCD would cause the inability to:

Question

Passage
Obstructive respiratory illnesses are characterized by an increased difficulty exhaling much of the air in the lungs. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are two of the most common obstructive respiratory illnesses. Asthma is due to allergen hypersensitivity and can be identified by temporary airway inflammation, which causes the bronchioles to narrow. The decreased airway diameter increases the resistance to airflow. Subsequently, air becomes "trapped" in the lungs, restricting the amount of air that can be moved in each breath.COPD refers to a spectrum of disorders and can be a result of emphysema, the irreversible destruction of pulmonary tissue. The breakdown of elastic proteins in the lungs results in a loss of pulmonary resiliency and chronic lung hyperinflation. Because the walls between individual alveoli are broken down, the alveolar sacs that remain are larger.Lung diseases can be diagnosed and monitored using spirometry. A spirometer measures the flow rate and volume of inhaled and exhaled air. In one pulmonary test, a patient is asked to exhale forcibly and completely into a spirometer after maximum inhalation. This test is done to measure the patient's forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) , the total amount of air exhaled in a single breath.

Figure 1 Forced expiratory spirogram of a healthy individual
Adapted from T. Barreiro, "An Approach to Interpreting Spirometry." American Family Physician. ©2004 AAFP.
-Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) , a rare disease that impairs the normal function of cilia, is often misdiagnosed as atypical asthma because wheezing is observed in both illnesses. Unlike asthma, PCD would cause the inability to:

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

11ecba2d_0f7b_d0c5_a3bf_333b1d091727_MD0008_00 Cilia are hair-like organelles that are found in some specialized cells. Ciliated cells are involved in the defense mechanisms of the respiratory system: Nasal hairs: Hairs in the nasal cavity can filter out relatively large particulates before they are able to enter the respiratory tract. Mucociliary escalator: Specialized cells lining the upper respiratory tract produce mucus, a thick and sticky secretion that traps inhaled bacteria and particulates. Ciliated cells beat synchronously to sweep foreign bodies trapped in mucus up the respiratory tract to the pharynx. From the pharynx, these foreign bodies can be coughed out or swallowed and destroyed by the harsh acidity of the stomach. Phagocytosis: Alveolar macrophages are a type of large white blood cell that engulfs (phagocytizes) and digests foreign material that reaches the alveoli. Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is stated to cause dysfunctional cilia, which would allow mucus to accumulate in the airways and result in wheezing noises. Subsequently, the ability to remove inhaled particulates would be impaired. (Choice A) Thermoregulation in the respiratory system is achieved through the radiation of heat from nasal and tracheal capillary beds, the convection of hot air throughout the respiratory tract, and the endothermic evaporation of moisture. (Choice B) Coughing and sneezing are forms of forced expiration that help clear trapped particles from the pharynx. (Choice D) The larynx, commonly known as the voice box, vibrates at specific frequencies to produce sound. Although cilia are present in the larynx as part of the mucociliary escalator, they do not affect sound production. Educational objective: In the upper respiratory tract, mucus-producing cells and ciliated cells work together to trap and remove potentially pathogenic bodies. Therefore, dysfunctional cilia would decrease the respiratory system's ability to remove inhaled particulates.

Passage Obstructive Respiratory Illnesses Are Characterized by an Increased Difficulty Exhaling