Table 3 Quantitative data on lymphatic vessel parameters

Bronchiole

Lymphatic vessel numbers per mm BM

1.91

4.09 *

2.94

3.76 *

4.11 *

<0.001

(0.40-2.92)

(3.11-6.42)

(2.13-6.78)

(3.18-6.68)

(2.18-5.23)

Lymphatic vessel numbers per bronchiole

3.13

5.33

6.88

7.83

10.85 *

<0.01

(0.50-8.47)

(3.00-10.78)

(2.00-14.50)

(4.00-13.00)

(6.42-21.33)

Accumulated lymphatic vessel endothelial length (mm) per mm BM

0.19

0.44

0.54

0.50

0.75 *

<0.01

(0.04-0.68)

(0.38-0.56)

(0.33-0.93)

(0.30-0.87)

(0.42-1.01)

Accumulated lymphatic vessel endothelial length (mm) per bronchiole

0.58

0.67

1.05

0.80

1.94* ^#

<0.001

(0.04-1.09)

(0.31-0.94)

(0.42-1.96)

(0.41-1.91)

(0.78-3.94)

Lymphatic vessel numbers per artery

3.78

4.17

3.50

5.50

8.07 * ^§

<0.01

(0.50-8.50)

(4.00-7.67)

(2.80-9.00)

(1.67-10.00)

(4.10-10.11)

Accumulated lymphatic vessel endothelial length (mm) per artery

0.97

1.53

1.38

1.59

2.39 *

<0.05

(0.11-3.32)

(0.60-1.91)

(0.95-2.90)

(0.60-2.60)

(1.39-4.66)

Alveolar parenchyma

Lymphatic vessel numbers per mm² fibrotic parenchymal lesions

NA

NA

NA

NA

117.8 ^‡

-

(101.1-134.4)