In differentiating between chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which statement describes chronic bronchitis?

Chronic bronchitis is characterized by inflammation and irritation of the airways, leading to increased mucus production. A key symptom often associated with chronic bronchitis is wheezing, which is a whistling sound made during breathing that indicates narrowed or obstructed airways. Additionally, rhonchi, which are continuous low-pitched sounds, can also commonly be heard during auscultation due to the presence of excessive mucus in the airways.

In chronic bronchitis, a normal percussion note indicates that there is no significant fluid or consolidation in the lungs, aligning with findings that demonstrate the condition primarily affecting the airways rather than the lung parenchyma itself. This symptomatology helps distinguish chronic bronchitis from emphysema, where lung tissue destruction leads to different auscultatory findings and percussion notes.

The chronic inflammation of the bronchial passages commonly leads to changes in the pattern of breathing, but it is the accumulation of mucus and the resultant wheezing and rhonchi that are particularly indicative of chronic bronchitis, aligning well with the correct statement in this question.