BRONCHIECTASIS: AN ORPHAN DISEASE

Abstract

Bronchiectasis is defined as abnormal and permanent dilatation of one or more bronchi, derived from Greek broncos meaning airways and ectasia meaning stretching out.  

It is a common respiratory disease worldwide, affecting up to 566 per 100 000 population in developed countries. The EMBARC and Respiratory Research Network of India Registry which published its results of 2195 patients across 31 centres in India in 2019 reported that patients with bronchiectasis in India showed significant differences from those previously reported in Europe & USA. Indian patients were younger men and had more severe, cystic bronchiectasis. A large study, of 385 patients with tuberculosis in Malawi, found HRCT revealed moderate-to-severe bronchiectasis in 44∙2% of HRCT. If these findings are to be correlated to the Indian subcontinent, an estimate of 2∙8 million cases of tuberculosis per year, the prevalence of bronchiectasis would be huge. Despite being a common disease in Indian patients it is often disregarded just as sequelae of prior infection and not treated as a disease itself. It, however depending on severity and colonisation with gram negative bacteria can have serious morbidity and mortality. Therefore awareness about its newer management principles is important in everyday practice.