Should the bronchiectasis treatment given to cystic fibrosis patients be extrapolated to those with bronchiectasis from other causes?
OBJECTIVE
To profile the characteristics of adult patients with bronchiectasis, drawing comparisons between cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and those with bronchiectasis from other causes in order to determine whether it is rational to extrapolate the bronchiectasis treatment given to CF patients to those with bronchiectasis from other causes.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of the medical charts of 87 patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis and under follow-up treatment at our outpatient clinic. Patients who had tuberculosis (current or previous) were excluded. We evaluated the clinical, functional, and treatment data of the patients.


RESULTS
Of the 87 patients with bronchiectasis, 38 (43.7%) had been diagnosed with CF, through determination of sweat sodium and chloride concentrations or through genetic analysis, whereas the disease was due to another etiology in 49 (56.3%), of whom 34 (39.0%) had been diagnosed with idiopathic bronchiectasis. The mean age at diagnosis was lower in the patients with CF than in those without (14.2 vs. 24.2 years; p < 0.05). The prevalence of symptoms (cough, expectoration, hemoptysis, and wheezing) was similar between the groups. Colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus was more common in the CF patients (82.4 vs. 29.7% and 64.7 vs. 5.4%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The causes and clinical manifestations of bronchiectasis are heterogeneous, and it is important to identify the differences. It is crucial that these differences be recognized so that new strategies for the management of patients with bronchiectasis can be developed.
Athanazio
Rodrigo Abensur
RA
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo, Brasil. rathanazio@yahoo.com.br
Rached
Samia Zahi
SZ
Rohde
Ciro
C
Pinto
Regina Carvalho
RC
Fernandes
Frederico Leon Arrabal
FL
Stelmach
Rafael
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057285:Precision Medicine; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult