The effect of bronchiectasis on the exacerbation and mortality of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Coexistence of bronchiectasis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may lead to the worsening of the functional parameters in exacerbations and may negatively affect the outcomes.

This study is a retrospective cross-sectional study that aims to investigate the relationships between bronchiectasis with COPD exacerbation and all-cause of mortality. We retrospectively enrolled 122 cases hospitalized for COPD exacerbation from 2010 to 2016. Patients who underwent thoracic tomography in the previous year of the index exacerbation were included in the study. Patients who admitted to the intensive care unit and patients with infected bronchiectasis and with conditions that mimic COPD exacerbation were excluded from the study. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings, comorbidities and the number of exacerbations in the previous year and the presence of bronchiectasis were recorded using hospital electronic registry. The radiological evaluation of bronchiectasis was made by the modified Reiff score (MRS).

Bronchiectasis was found in 66 (54%) of 122 patients included in the study. The mean age was 67.5 ± 10.3 in the whole group, 108 (88.5%) of the patients were male, and 14 (11.5%) were female. When patients were stratified according to the presence of bronchiectasis, no statistically significant difference was found in terms of comorbidity scores, respiratory functions, exacerbation parameters, laboratory values and all cause of mortality between the groups (p > 0.05). There was no statistical relation between the presence of bronchiectasis and long-term survival (log-rank test p = 0.83).

This study shows that patients with bronchiectasis did not cause a poor outcome in patients with COPD exacerbation.