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Causes of Bronchiectasis

Causes of bronchiectasis include:11
  • Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a genetic condition that affects the cilia in your airways. Cilia are tiny, hair-like structures that move back and forth to move mucus out of your airways
  • Past respiratory infection such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, whooping cough and measles
  • Immunodeficiency disorders such as common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
  • Connective tissue diseases (CTD) such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren’s syndrome
  • Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), a form of lung disease that occurs in some people who are allergic to Aspergillus fungus. The reaction causes swelling in your airways
  • Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), a family of common organisms found in water and soil that can cause lung infections
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Severe asthma
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
  • Recurring pulmonary aspiration, when you inhale a foreign substance such as food, liquid, saliva, or stomach acid into your lungs
  • Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1AT), a genetic disorder that can affect your lungs
  • Congenital (you are born with the condition)
  • The cause is unknown – this is called idiopathic bronchiectasis

  • CF Bronchiectasis is related to having cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that causes an abnormal production of thick and sticky mucus in the lungs and other parts of the body

     

References

1.International Respiratory Coalition. Lung Facts - Diseases - Bronchiectasis. https://international-respiratory-coalition.org/diseases/bronchiectasis/ (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

2. Martina Contarini. Bronchiectasis: a case-based approach to investigation and management. European Respiratory Review 2018;27:180016. https://err.ersjournals.com/content/27/149/180016.

3. Living with Bronchiectasis. British Lung Foundation 2017;BK33 Version 1. https://www.blf.org.uk/sites/default/files/BK33_Bronchiectasis_v1_2017_PDFdownload.pdf (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

4. Alan F Barker. Bronchiectasis. The New England Journal of Medicine 2002.;346:1383-1393. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra012519.

5. Bronchiectasis. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/bronchiectasis (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

6. Bronchiectasis Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Bronchiectasis and NTM 360°. https://www.bronchiectasisandntminitiative.org/Learn-More/I-am-a-Patient-or-Caregiver/Bronchiectasis-FAQs (Last accessed February 23, 2024). 

7. Doreen Addrizzo-Harris, et al. Living Well With Bronchiectasis Patient Information Guide. CHEST Foundation 2017. https://foundation.chestnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Bronchiectasis-Living-Well.pdf (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

8. Bronchiectasis in children. British Lung Foundation. https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/bronchiectasis-in-children/what-is-it (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

9. Galit Livnat, et al. Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: review and recent advances. F1000 Medicine Reports 2009;1:67. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2948306/.

10. Jaafer Saadi Imam, Alexander G Duarte. Non-CF bronchiectasis: Orphan disease no longer. Respiratory Medicine. 2020;166:105940. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0954611120300809

11. Adam T Hill, et al. British Thoracic Society Guideline for Bronchiectasis in Adults. Thorax 2019;74(1):1-69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-212463.

12. Bronchiectasis in children. British Lung Foundation. https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/bronchiectasis-in-children/what-is-it (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

13.  MP Murray, et al. Sputum colour: a useful clinical tool in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. European Respiratory Journal 2009;34(2):361-364. https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/34/2/361.

14. How is bronchiectasis diagnosed? British Lung Foundation. https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/bronchiectasis/diagnosis (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

15. Severity assessment. EMBARC The European Bronchiectasis Registry. https://www.bronchiectasis.eu/severity-assessment (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

16. Bronchiectasis: Symptoms. National Jewish Health. https://www.nationaljewish.org/conditions/bronchiectasis/bronchiectasis-overview/symptoms (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

17. What is the treatment for bronchiectasis? British Lung Foundation. https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/bronchiectasis/treatment (Last accessed January 17, 2024).

18. Annemarie L Lee, et al. Airway-Clearance Techniques in Children and Adolescents with Chronic Suppurative Lung Disease and Bronchiectasis. Frontiers in Pediatrics 2017;5(2):1-8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2017.00002.

19. Eva Polverino, et al. European Respiratory Society guidelines for the management of adult bronchiectasis. European Respiratory Journal 2017;50:1700629. DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00629-2017. https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/50/3/1700629.

20. Bronchiectasis Toolbox. https://bronchiectasis.com.au/bronchiectasis/living-with-bronchiectasis/nutrition (Last accessed January 17, 2024).