Abstract
In 42 subjects with bronchiectasis (13 male, mean age 62.4 yrs, 32 non smokers, 9 ex and 1 current smoker), functional status and airway inflammation were measured. All subjects showed diffuse bronchiectasis (cystic in 3 subjects), pulmonary consolidations in 30, and peri-bronchiectasis essudations in 29 subjects. Bronchiectasis were idiopathic in 22, post-infectious in 15, post-TB in 5 patients. Bacterial airway colonization was demonstrated in 20 out of 32 subjects collecting sputum (8 Pseudomonas, 2 NTMB, 5 Proteus/E.coli, 4 Stafilococcus, 1 Hemophilus infl., 1 Streptococcus). Obstructive syndrome was found in 28 subjects, restrictive syndrome in 2, and normal spirometry in 12. Hypertonic saline-induced sputum was collected in 36 subjects: 29 showed increased neutrophil% (median 79.9%), while 5 subjects showed increased eosinophil%. All except 5 out of 34 subjects showed normal values in exhaled nitric oxide (17.5±16.1 ppb). Significant correlations were found between sputum neutrophil% and FEV1% pred, FEV1/VC% pred, and RV% pred. These significant correlations were maintained considering subjects with airway colonization, but not in subjects without it.
In conclusion, significant relationships between sputum neutrophils, and functional findings were found in patients with bronchiectasis and bacterial airway colonization, suggesting that the last one has a role in pulmonary function impairment.
- © 2011 ERS