The problem of concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis is currently urgent and poorly studied.
OBJECTIVE
The objective is to analyze the clinical and functional features of COPD courses in patients with bronchiectasis according to the results of a 10-year observation.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study included 141 male patients. They were divided into two observation groups. Group 1 (n=68) included patients with COPD only, mean age of 60.67 (95% CI 51.45; 69.89) years; group 2 (n=73) included patients with concomitant COPD and bronchiectasis, mean age of 68.4 (95% CI 60.35; 76.45) years. Frequency and duration of COPD exacerbations, number of hospital admissions, pneumonia episodes, COPD symptoms severity according to COPD Assessment Test (CAT), dyspnea severity using Modified Medical Research Council questionnaire (mMRC), postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second were estimated.
RESULTS
It was found that patients with COPD and bronchiectasis were statistically significantly older, had a longer disease course, a higher smoking intensity, and a lower body mass index compared to patients with COPD only. The clinical course of COPD with bronchiectasis was characterized by more severe dyspnea, more severe bronchial obstruction, frequent (≥2 episodes per year) and prolonged exacerbations of COPD, repeated hospitalizations, and associated with the risk of adverse outcomes. The mortality in patients with COPD and bronchiectasis was 1.9 times higher than in the control group.
CONCLUSION
The development of bronchiectasis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease significantly worsens the course of the disease and increases the risk of adverse outcomes. Early detection of bronchiectasis using chest CT is necessary for patients with COPD.