Study of the inflammatory phenotype of asthmatic patients with bronchiectasis

<b>Introduction:</b> Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with different inflammatory phenotypes. Eosinophilic inflammation is considered the most frequent subtype. However, subjects with bronchiectasis always present a neutrophilic inflammation feature. The aim of the present study is to analyze, in induced sputum, the inflammatory phenotype of a cohort of asthmatic patients with bronchiectasis. <b>Material and Methods:</b> Cross-sectional study, that included all moderate/severe asthma patients with bronchiectasis referred to our center during 2017-2018. We considered that a patient had eosinophilic inflammation when induced sputum eosinophil count was ≥3% and neutrophilic inflammation when neutrophil count was ≥65%. Asthma was considered to be controlled when the patient had an ACT≥20. <b>Results:</b> From 310 patients visited, 90 had bronchiectasis. Twelve patients were excluded. Sputum was obtained in 54 (32 women, mean age 55 years, 3 smokers). 72% of these patients had an ACT&lt;20. Mean eosinophils and neutrophils in sputum were 12.2% and 63.1%, respectively. Fifteen patients (28%) presented eosinophilic inflammation, 19 (35%) neutrophilic inflammation, 9 (17%) mixed inflammation and 11 (20%) paucigranulocytic. A correlation was observed between the number of Tobacco packs/year and neutrophils in sputum (p=0.015) and between eosinophils in blood and sputum (p&lt;0.01). <b>Conclusion:</b> In asthmatic patients with bronchiectasis, a high degree of inflammation in sputum was observed. The predominant inflammatory phenotype in these patients is neutrophilic. In most of these patients, asthma control is not achieved. Study partially financed by FIS PI15/01900 and FEDER.