title: Bacterial colonization and associated factors in patients with bronchiectasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the bacterial colonization and associated risk factors in patients with bronchiectasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 121 patients followed at the Bronchiectasis Unit, between 1996 and 2013 and diagnosed as having noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis with high resolution computed tomography or multi-slice computed tomography were included in this retrospective study. The following definition of colonization was used for study purposes: Detection of at least two isolates of an organism separated by at least 3 months in a year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of these 121 patients, 65 (54%) were female and 56 (46%) were male. Mean age was 50.6 ± 16.1 years. Mean duration of illness was 20.3 ± 15.5 years. 43 (35.5%) cases had colonization. The major pathogens responsible for colonization were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 25; 20.6%) and Haemophilus influenzae (n = 14, 11.5%). The stepwise logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between colonization and a low percentage of forced vital capacity (FVC%) and the presence of cystic bronchiectasis (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The following factors have been found to be associated with colonization in patients with bronchiectasis: Low FVC% and the presence of cystic bronchiectasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sermin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borekci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayse Nigar
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Halis
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aygun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Benan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Musellim
keywords: Bacterial colonization; bronchiectasis; risk factors