Abstract

Bronchiectasis is the irreversible, pathological dilatation of the small and medium-sized bronchi. It is not a disease in its own right, but a final common pathway of a cycle of inflammation, bacterial colonisation and infection ( Altenburg et al, 2015 ). It occurs in a variety of pathologic processes that are associated with recurrent or acute infection and inflammation, such as cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma leading to permanent structural changes in the airways. Bronchiectasis can result in substantial morbidity, usually secondary to recurrent infection, but in severe cases can lead to death ( Milliron et al, 2015 ). The main symptom of bronchiectasis is a chronic productive cough, over-production of mucus and the dilation of the bronchus, which causes each cough to be less effective, leading to inefficient clearance of secretions with the potential for chronic or recurrent infections ( Currie et al, 1987 ). The main treatments aim to suppress the inflammation and prevent infections, and in the case of exacerbations, to reduce the sputum volume, viscosity and purulence and to lessen the cough, dyspnoea and fever ( Abo-Leyah and Chalmers, 2017 ).

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