Bronchiectasis in China

Bronchiectasis is a common but long-neglected disease in China, causing a substantial disease burden both to patients and to society. The overall prevalence of physician-diagnosed bronchiectasis in people aged 40 years or older is estimated at 1.2% and is trending upward with aging of the population. The etiology of bronchiectasis has not been identified heretofore in more than 70% of patients in China, although pneumonia and tuberculosis still appear to be the most common causes of acquired bronchiectasis. Etiologies, comorbidities, and infecting organisms vary greatly across previously published epidemiological studies, resulting in considerable uncertainty. Little is known about the spectrum of severity of bronchiectasis in China. Presently, engagement of pulmonologists is largely limited to acute treatment of exacerbations of severe bronchiectasis. Based on limited available data and expert consensus, the first comprehensive guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of bronchiectasis in China were published in 2012. Research to advance medical care for patients with this disease in China should focus on several priorities, including: standardization of diagnostic criteria with appropriate application of computed tomographic imaging; use of validated multidimensional grading systems to assess the severity of bronchiectasis; and epidemiological studies that are designed to measure mild to moderate as well as severe disease, and to represent the population beyond large urban centers. Better estimates of the true burden of bronchiectasis are needed to guide allocation of national medical resources and to implement public health strategies for prevention of the disease. Treatment should be expanded to include expert maintenance care of ambulatory patients in addition to treatment of exacerbations.