STUDY OF CLINICAL, MICROBIOLOGICALAND RADIOLOGICAL PROFILE OFPATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ACUTE EXACERBATION OF BRONCHIECTASIS INA TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

BACKGROUND: Bronchiectasis is one of major causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Patients with bronchiectasis colonize many aerobic bacteria and fungi and lead to an increase in exacerbations and decrease in quality of life. Determining clinical, microbiological and radiological prole of bronchiectasis with acute exacerbation helps in adoption of optimized diagnosis and therapeutic approach. AIM: To study the clinical, microbiological and radiological prole of patients presenting with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis RESULTS: In the present study, majority were males(80%). H/O ANTI-TUBERCULAR THERAPY was present in 54%patients. Cough with sputum is the commonest symptom. 24%patients presented with hemoptysis. 76%patients had shortness of breath with signicant exercise limitations. 62%patients had fever. About 85%patients variable combination of coarse crepitations and wheeze on affected side. Features of corpulmonale were seen in about 10%patients. Cultures (sputum and bronchial washings) were positive in 66%cases.The most common organism isolated was pseudomonas aeruginosa(40%). On Chest x-ray majority(54%) had bilateral disease as evident by bilaterally brosed, shrunken and bronchiectatic lung. On HRCT thorax, the predominant type of bronchiectasis was Cystic in 58%cases. More than one type of bronchiectasis was observed in 28%subjects. CONCLUSION:The frequent cause of bronchiectasis is post tuberculosis. Acute exacerbation manifests with copious purulent sputum.Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most frequently isolated bacteria. HRCT of thorax is a non-invasive diagnostic technique which has high sensitivity and specicity. The most frequent concomitant disease in bronchiectasis is COPD.