One key struggle with managing rare diseases or other health conditions is finding the right treatment option. While bronchiectasis is usually treated with antibiotics and chest physiotherapy, there seems to be a more highly prescribed option for those with non-CF bronchiectasis who also have asthma. According to Bronchiectasis News Today, pediatric patients with both conditions are much more likely to receive inhaled corticosteroids than other treatment methods. Read the full study findings in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Study Findings

Because of how similar symptoms can be between asthma and bronchiectasis, it can sometimes be difficult to determine what is happening with a patient and how to best treat their condition. While doctors do sometimes prescribe inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists to patients with bronchiectasis, the prescription decisions are not consistent.

Altogether, 65 pediatric patients enrolled in the study, which took place over a 5-year period. Their ages ranged from 1 to 16, and 46 of the patients were referred to the hospital due to perceptibly bad cases of asthma. During their hospitalization, researchers analyzed blood test results, lung function, CT scans, allergies, and patient-reported information on their breathing.

Slightly over 33% of patients experienced shortness of breath, with slightly over 35% reporting wheezing. 56.9% of the patients showed a specific pattern on their chest CT scans which indicated some sort of respiratory distress or respiratory obstruction. These symptoms, alongside positive skin prick and bronchodilator response, correlated with doctors prescribing inhaled corticosteroids. Normally, these symptoms are extremely common in patients with asthma. Thus, prescribed corticosteroids are usually given to patients with bronchiectasis who either have asthma or who have asthma-like symptoms.

Bronchiectasis

While cystic fibrosis (CF) causes around 33% of all bronchiectasis cases, the other 66-67% are caused by other lung injuries or health issues, such as HIV, fungal infections, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Bronchiectasis is a lung disorder which causes the bronchial tubes to become permanently widened, thickened, or injured in some form. As a result, bacteria and mucus accumulate, causing difficulty breathing. Other symptoms include:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Unintended weight loss
• Frequent respiratory infections
• Fever
• Chronic cough which brings up blood or yellow/green mucus
• Wheezing
• Fatigue
• Nail clubbing

Learn more about bronchiectasis here.