clinical features of bronchiectasis in adults

Last reviewed 01/2018

Clinical presentation of bronchiectasis in adults

• cough - in more than 90% of the patients
  • cough together with daily sputum production - in 75 -100%
  • cough with intermittent sputum production - in 12-20%
  • non productive cough - in 5-8%
• offensive or fetid odour due to purulent sputum
• breathlessness - in 72%
• haemoptysis - frequent, often due to infective exacerbations and sometimes the only presenting symptom
  • according to a study
    • blood-staining of sputum - in 27%
    • frank bleeding (up to 10ml) - in 20%
    • massive bleeding ( >235 ml) - in 4%
• chest pain - in 31%, usually non-pleuritic and may vary from mild to severe
• signs include
  • coarse crackles frequently in the lower lung fields - in around 70%
    • starts in early inspiration and extends into the late part which helps to differentiate crackles of bronchiectasis from those of COPD
  • wheeze - in 34%
  • large airway rhonchi - in 44%
  • finger clubbing - occurs infrequently (1)

Reference:

• 1. Pasteur MC et al. British Thoracic Society guideline for non-CF bronchiectasis. Thorax. 2010;65 Suppl 1:i1-58