Emphysema in Papua New Guinea--a pathological study.

The authors examined 47 lungs obtained at post mortem in Papua New Gunea. These were inflated with formalin, fixed under pressure, sliced and examined for emphysema using a "point-counting" method. There was no emphysema before the age of 30 years. The pathological types encountered were similar to those in the United Kingdom. In patients over 50 years of age there appeared to be little difference between the amount of emphysema present in Paua New Guinea and in the United Kingdom. Enviromental air pollution seemed to be relatively unimportant in the pathogenesis. Repeated lower respiratory tract infections may be more important. Emphysema appeared to be more prevalent in lowland than highland dwellers. The findings of this pathological study supported the clinical and epidemiological studies carried out concurrently, but independently by others.