prognosis

Last edited 04/2023

The majority of children are not limited by their bronchiectasis. One in five will be symptom-free.

The prognosis in adults is good:

• 15 year survival is 80%
• 70% of survivors are not limited by the disease
• less than 10% are housebound.

The prognosis is better when the bronchiectasis is localised.

Surgery is the intervention of choice in symptomatic localised bronchiectasis whereas medical treatment is most effective in cases of generalised disease.

Reference:

1. Hill AT, Sullivan AL, Chalmers JD, et al British Thoracic Society guideline for bronchiectasis in adults. BMJ Open Respiratory Research 2018;5:e000348. doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2018-000348