Endobronchial biopsy in the final diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma: a clinicopathological study.

Background: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic conditions with an increasing prevalence in developing countries. The evaluation of endobronchial biopsies has emerged as a tool to differentiate between both conditions via the measurement of the reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickness with various conclusions drawn from different studies.

Objectives: Compare the thickness of the RBM between asthma and COPD and evaluate other histomorphological features in both groups.