A 2-Day-Old Boy Was Brought to the Intensive Care Unit

A 2-day-old boy was brought to the intensive care unit from the nursery with tachypnea and hypoxia.  The patient was born at 33 weeks, and his mother did not receive prenatal care.  Physical examination showed cyanosis.  He was intubated but died 2 days later.  An autopsy is performed, and a sample of the patient's lung tissue is obtained.  Analysis of several large, cuboidal alveolar cells under electron microscopy reveals decreased numbers of granules containing parallel stacks of membrane lamellae.  Which of the following pathological processes is most likely to result from the abnormal autopsy findings?

A) Alveolar wall destruction by protease
B) Bronchial smooth muscle hyperresponsiveness
C) Excessive airway mucus production
D) Increased alveolar tendency to collapse
E) Pulmonary arterial smooth muscle proliferation
F) Uncontrolled proliferation of dysplastic bronchial cells

Correct Answer:

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