[Annual review of bronchiectasis 2024]

Bronchiectasis (BE) is a chronic airway disease characterized by bronchial abnormalities and persistent dilation due to a variety of underlying causes. Over the past year, significant advances have been made in the study of bronchiectasis, particularly in the areas of epidemiology, microbiology, pathogenesis, comorbidities, and treatment. Recent studies have identified sputum color and nitrate/nitrite levels as prognostic biomarkers for exacerbations, while advances in exhaled breath biomarkers have improved screening and diagnosis, providing new insights into preventive and therapeutic targets for bronchiectasis. Significant progress has also been made in therapeutic research, including the development of dipeptidyl peptidase-1 inhibitors, inhaled colistimethate sodium and epithelial calcium channel blockers, all of which are helping to the advancement of precision medicine in bronchiectasis. The development of new-generation genome sequencing technology can further explore the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis from various aspects including genetics, epigenetics, transcriptomics and metabolomics. In conclusion, this review provides a concise overview of the major advances in bronchiectasis research from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024, with the aim of providing new perspectives for future research directions.