ObjectiveTo investigate the application value of fibrinogen and other serological indicators in the management of patients with bronchiectasis. Methods Basic information, serological indicators such as blood routine items, biochemical, blood coagulation, and inflammation index of 121 patients with bronchiectasis in Nanjing Jinling Hospital and Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from July 2021 to June 2023 were collected. The value of fibrinogen and other serological indicators in identifying patients with acute exacerbation and severely impaired lung function (FEV1%pred<60%) was evaluated. Results The levels of leukocytes, neutrophils, platelets, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen were higher in the patients with acute exacerbation and in the FEV1%pred<60% group, negatively correlated with FEV1%pred. While the level of albumin was higher in the patients of the stable group and FEV1%pred≥60% group, and positively correlated with FEV1%pred. Compared with leukocytes, neutrophils, platelets, C-reactive protein and albumin, fibrinogen demonstrated the best recognition ability for the patients with FEV1%pred<60% (AUC=0.839). The sensitivity of identifying patients with FEV1%pred<60% was 91.18% and the specificity was 71.26% when the level of fibrinogen was over 3.35 g/L. Conclusions Leukocytes, neutrophils, platelets, C-reactive protein, albumin and fibrinogen have shown certain application value in recognition of patients with bronchiectasis in acute exacerbation stage and FEV1%pred<60%. These serological indicators may be helpful in precision treatment and individual management of patients with bronchiectasis.
Objective Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is characterized by anexaggerated reaction to airway colonization aspergillus which affects patients with underlying diseases such asbronchial asthma, cystic fibrosis or other respiratory diseases. ABPA exhibit significant heterogeneity due to theunderlying diseases. The clinical features of patients with ABPA were analyzed retrospectively, so as to explore theimpact of underlying diseases on clinical characteristics. Methods The clinical data of hospitalized patients diagnosed with ABPA from January 2010 to September 2019 in Peking University People's Hospital were reviewed for retrospective analysis. Results A total of 40 ABPA patients were enrolled. Of which 8 cases (20.0%) were previously diagnosed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and/or bronchiectasis, named non-asthma group; while the other 32 cases met the diagnosis criteria of asthma, named asthma group. The non-asthma ABPA patients had a shorter course [78 (6 - 300) months vs. 192 (39 - 480) months, P=0.02], a higher percentage of peripheral blood neutrophils (79.9%±12.5% vs. 68.1%±18.1%, P=0.01) and higher score of emphysema [2 (0 - 2) vs. 0 (0 - 1), P=0.02] than the asthma group. Conclusions There is no significant difference in clinical and radiological characteristics between ABPA patients without asthma and those with asthma. The diagnosis of ABPA should also be considered when patients with chronic pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis have aggravation of dyspnea, increase of eosinophils in peripheral blood and typical imaging features such as mucus attenuation.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy of long-term inhaled salmeterol / fluticasone combined with low-dose oral erythromycin in patients with bronchiectasis. Methods Sixty-two patients with bronchiectasis after exacerbation and maintained stable were randomly divided into three groups. Group A was treated with low-dose oral erythromycin, group B inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone, and group C inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone plus low-dose oral erythromycin. The study duration lasted for 6 months. The clinical symptoms, dyspnea scale, exacerbation frequency, and pulmonary function parameters were measured and compared. Results Fifty-four patients completed the whole study and 8 cases withdrew. The results showed that 6 months of low-dose erythromycin therapy can improve the clinical symptoms, whille exacerbation frequency was also decreased. Inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone improved lung function, however, had no effect on cough, expectoration and exacerbation frequency. Inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone combined with erythromycin was more significantly effective in improving lung functions as well as symptoms. Conclusions Long-terminhaled salmeterol/fluticasone combined with low-dose oral erythromycin can improve the clinical symptoms and lung function, decrease the frequency of exacerbation in patients with bronchiectasis. It may be as an alternative to the maintenance treatment of bronchiectasis.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the combination efficacy with Qingfei Yihuo capsule and routine antibiotics as well as mucopolytic agents in the treatment of bronchiectasis acute exacerbation.MethodsThis was a prospective, multi-center, randomized controlled clinical study. The efficacy of Qingfei Yihuo capsule combine with routine antibiotics and mucopolytic agents in the treatment of bronchiectasis acute exacerbation was compared according to the symptom control as well as exacerbation duration. Through randomization, patients received Qingfei Yihuo capsule or placebo combine with routine antibiotics and mucopolytic agents treatment for 10 days. Symptom score of cough, sputum, short of breath pre- and post-treatment as well as the symptom score in daily card were compared between the two groups. The spirometry and St. George respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) before and after treatment were compared.ResultsThis study was conducted from June 2017 to August 2018. One hundred and ninety patients from 7 centers in 6 hospitals with bronchiectasis acute exacerbation were enrolled in the study. There was statistically improvement of symptom score (including the 9th and 10th treatment days) according to the daily card recording in Qingfei Yihuo capsule group compared to the placebo group, but no statistically significant difference was found in spirometry results or SGRQ.ConclusionQingfei Yihuo capsule has assistant effect on improving respiratory symptoms of bronchiectasis exacerbation.
ObjectiveTo analyze the microbiological characteristics of airway bacteria in adult patients with bronchiectasis and to analyze their correlation with the clinical features. MethodsPatients diagnosed with bronchiectasis in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from October 2017 to April 2018 were classified into the bronchiectasis group, while the control group was those who were found to have pulmonary nodules (diameter less than 10 mm) requiring bronchoscopy by physical examination. All subjects in both groups had not used antibiotics or hormones within 4 weeks and had no other respiratory diseases. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the lesion site of the branchial expansion group was collected, and BALF from the basal segment of the contralateral inferior bronchial lobe of the pulmonary nodule was collected in the control group. Bacterial culture and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were performed in both groups. ResultsSeventeen cases and six controls were enrolled in this study and the BALF specimens were collected. Eight cases were in stable period and nine cases were in acute period. The case group was divided into the bacteria-positive group and negative group based on bacterial culture of BALF. Shannon index in the bacteria-positive group was significantly lower than the bacteria-negative group and the control group. And Shannon index showed a negative correlation with positive bacterial culture in BALF. When Shannon index ≤4.5 was used to predict positive bacterial culture, the sensitivity and specificity were 83.3% and 90.9% respectively. The average relative abundance of bacteria was higher and the average sample distribution uniformity was lower in patients with acute period, compared with those in patients with stable period. Shannon index was negatively correlated with the acute exacerbation in patients. When Shannon index <5.0 was used to predict acute exacerbation, the sensitivity and specificity were 77.8% and 100.0%, respectively. ConclusionsShannon index in 16S rRNA gene sequencing results has certain predictive value for acute exacerbation stage. 16S rRNA gene sequencing combined with bacterial culture results can help guide clinicians to provide more precise treatment plans.
Objective To investigate the cardiovascular events (CVE) and survival status of patients with bronchiectasis (BE) during follow-up after acute exacerbation. Methods Prospective cohort study was used. Clinical data of 134 BE patients with acute exacerbation who were hospitalized from July 2016 to September 2020 were collected. The patients were followed up after discharge by phone or respiratory clinic every 3 months until November 2022. CVE or death was the endpoint event. Result During the follow-up period, 41 patients developed CVE, while 93 patients did not. Fifty-one patients died during the follow-up period, with a mortality rate of 38.06%. Among them, 41 cases of CVE resulted in 21 deaths, with a mortality rate of 51.22%; 30 cases died in 93 non-CVE patients, with a mortality rate of 32.26%. Logistic regression results showed significant influencing factors for CVE in BE patients were age, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and moderate to severe illness. The significant influencing factors for the death of BE patients were age, COPD, moderate and severe illness, and CVE events. The significant influencing factors for the death of CVE patients were age and receiving CVE treatment. The area under ROC curve (AUC) and 95%CI was 0.858 (0.729 - 0.970) for the warning model for CVE in BE patients. The AUC (95%CI) was 0.867 (0.800 - 0.927) for the warning model for death in BE patients. The AUC (95%CI) was 0.811 (0.640 - 0.976) for the warning model for death of CVE patients. Conclusions Population factors and comorbidities are risk factors for CVE in BE patients after acute exacerbation. The appearance of CVE worsens the long-term prognosis of BE patients. The corresponding warning models have high warning effectiveness with AUC>0.8.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and the severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in elderly patients.MethodsThe clinical data of 216 elderly patients with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis admitted from January 2015 to October of 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the elderly was evaluated by bronchiectasis severity index (BSI) score. Meanwhile, 50 elderly people receiving qualified medical examination were collected as a healthy control group in the same period. The distributions of BSI score, RDW, procalcitonin (PCT), neutrophil percentage (NEU%) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were described in the patients with different risk degree. The severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the elderly was evaluated by BSI. The patients were divided into three groups by BSI score: a low risk group, a middle risk group, and a high risk group. The indexes were described including the distribution of stratified BSI score, RDW, PCT, NEU%, CRP at different risk levels. The correlation of each index was analyzed by Spearman correlation. The threshold value of RDW was calculated by general linear regression, and the influencing factors of BSI score were analyzed by multivariate linear regression analysis.ResultsThe higher the risk stratification, the higher the BSI score, RDW, PCT, NEU% and CRP were. RDW was positively correlated with PCT, NEU% and CRP (r values were 0.425, 0.311, 0.177, respectively, P<0.05). BSI score was positively correlated with RDW, PCT, NEU%, and CRP (r values were 0.425, 0.394, 0.650, 0.578, respectively, P<0.05). RDW was positively correlated with PSI score (r=0.425, P<0.05). The thresholds of RDW were 11.45% and 14.03%. Multiple linear regression showed that RDW, PCT, NEU% and CRP were all influential factors of BSI score and explained 52.3% of the total mutation rate.ConclusionRDW is related to the severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the elderly, and can predict the severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the elderly.
ObjectiveTo describe the clinical characteristics of pulmonary nocardiosis associated with bronchiectasis and to evaluate the methods of diagnosis and treatment.MethodsClinical data of two patients with pulmonary nocardiosis and bronchiectasis were analyzed and the literature on the subject were reviewed.ResultsTwo female patients with bronchiectasis were respectively 55 and 62 years old, both of them presented with fever, cough, expectoration, and leukocytosis. Case 1 also complicated with respiratory failure and leukemoid reaction. Chest CT showed bilateral pulmonary multi-patchy consolidations with cavities in case 1 and unilateral pulmonary local consolidation without cavities in case 2. Sputum smears on modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining of both patients showed typical Nocardia hyphe. Sputum culture of case 1 showed Nocardia otitidiscaviarum, which was sensitive to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ/TMP), amikacin and moxifloxacin while resistant to ceftriaxone, imipenem and meropenem. Sputum culture of case 2 was negative. Case 1 was treated with SMZ/TMP + moxifloxacin + amikacin for 6 months, and case 2 treated with SMZ/TMP for 3 months. Both patients were clinically cured. Six case reports including 7 patients were searched, including 4 Chinese reports and 2 English reports. Most of them were reported individually. ConclusionsBronchiectasis is a risk factor for pulmonary nocardiosis, and the treatment of nocardiosis should accord with drug susceptibilities and severities of diseases. The prognoses of patients with pulmonary nocardiosis and bronchiectasis are relatively good.
ObjectiveTo investigate the chest radiographic and computed tomographic manifestations of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). MethodWe retrospectively analyzed the chest radiographic and computed tomographic manifestations of 20 ABPA patients treated between December 2005 and December 2013. ResultsChest radiograph showed that there were 4 negative cases, 14 cases of solid mass, 10 cases of increased and disorder of bronchovascular shadows, and 5 cases of bronchiectasis. Chest computed tomography showed that there were one negative case, 18 cases of bronchiectasis, 17 cases of central bronchiectasis among which central and peripheral bronchi were involved in 6 cases and 1 case presented as pure peripheral bronchiectasis, 11 cases of tree-in-bud signs, 6 cases of mucous embolism, 8 cases of solid mass, 5 cases of ground-glass opacity, 4 cases of pleural thickening, 3 cases of pleural effusion, and 2 cases of atelectasis. ConclusionsFor asthma and cystic fibrosis patients, central bronchiectasis on chest CT indicates the diagnosis of ABPA, but it cannot be considered as a characteristic feature. Bronchiectasis combined with high attenuation mucus may be a characteristic feature of ABPA although it is rare.
ObjectiveTo investigate the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of common variable immune deficiency (CVID).MethodsOne case of CVID with cellular immunodeficiency leading to bronchiectasis and liver cirrhosis was analyzed retrospectively. Relevant literatures were also searched through WanFang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and PubMed, Ovid, Embase, Cochrane using the key words " common variable immunodeficiency”, " common variable hypogammaglobulinemia” in Chinese and English.ResultsA 52-year-old female patient, complained of cough, expectoration for 20 years, edema for 7 years and aggravated for 3 months with a history of recurrent respiratory infections was hospitalized in the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The chest computed tomography revealed bronchiectasis, liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Laboratory tests showed remarkable hypogammaglobulinemia. The CD4+ T-cell count was below the normal range. Probable diagnosis of CVID was made based on clinical characteristics and laboratory tests. Immunoglobulin infusion with a dose of 20 g was given and the symptoms were relieved. About 288 case reports including 8 000 patients were searched. Most of them were reported individually. Conclusions CVID has a low morbidity and is rare in China. It is mostly caused by genetic factors. When there are recurrent infections in common areas of body, infections in rare areas or infections of conditioned pathogen, clinicians should be vigilant and give intervention as soon as possible. Family and genetic researches could be done when permitted.