Resumo

CERECEDA P., Jaime; SAMSO Z., Catalina; SEGURA W., Alvaro  e  SANHUEZA O., Pamela. RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF BRONCHIECTASIS CHARACTERISTICS IN ADULTS AT A CHILEAN GENERAL HOSPITAL: A 5 YEARS EXPERIENCE (1998-2003). Rev. chil. enferm. respir. [online]. 2005, vol.21, n.3, pp. 171-178. ISSN 0717-7348.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-73482005000300004.

In order to know the actual characteristics of bronchiectasis in an adult population, we reviewed 18 cases with this pathology confirmed by spiral CT at a general hospital (Hospital Regional de Concepción, Chile), between 1998-2003. Ten patients were males and 8 females, their mean age was 44 ± 13.9 years old. Most common etiologies of bronchiectasis were pulmonary tuberculosis (44.4%) and acute pneumonia (38.8%); main sypmtoms were chronic cough (88.8%), persistent sputum (77.7%) and hemoptysis (44.4%). Spirometry detected airway obstruction in smokers (FEV₁/FVC = 58%) and in non smokers (FEV₁/FVC = 68%). Microbiological sputum exams showed Hemophilus influenzae (16.6%), Neisseria catharralis (15%), Pseudomona aeruginosa (13%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (15.4%) and Candida albicans (4%). Spiral CT showed the following distribution of bronchiectasis: unilobular lesion 11.1%, bilobar 72% and multilobar 16.6%. The clinical picture of bronchiectasis in our hospital according to this up to date review, shows that our reality is essentially similar to that previously reported in literature

Palavras-chave : Adult bronchiectasis; spiral computed tomography; etiology; clinical characteristics; microbiology.