Evaluation of Pediatric Patients with Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with bronchiectasis, localization, pulmonary function tests, the etiologic factors and investigation of the relationship between localization- pulmonary function tests and etiology in our Pediatric Allergy-Immunology Clinic.
METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical, radiologic, and physiologic findings of 35 patients with non cystic fibrosis- bronchiectasis confirmed by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT).
RESULTS: The mean age was 11.6 ± 3.3 (4.8-18) years, and 20 of them were males (57%). The age at onset of symptoms was 6.8 ± 3.8 (1-15) years, while the age of diagnosis was 10.4 ± 3.1 (4.2-15.8) years. The most common symptoms were cough (100%), sputum (54.3%) and wheezing (54.3%). Crepitant rale was the most frequent physical examination finding (45.7%). In evaluation of chest X-Ray findings; 8 (22.9%) of the patients had bronchiectasis and the most common finding was infiltration 12 (34.3%). Four of the (11.4%) patients had positive skin prick test. The most common involvements on HRCT were left lower lobe in 22 (62.8%), right lower
lobe in 21 (60%), right middle lobe in 16 (45.7%). The causes of the bronchiectasis were found to be as postinfectious in 12 patients (34.3%), asthma 7 (20%), immun deficiency 5 (14.3%), and primary ciliary dyskinesia 4 (11.4%). There was not an aetiological
cause in 7 (20%) of the patients.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Infections in our country still maintain their importance in the etiology of bronchiectasis. Asthma with increasing frequency is another important factor in the development of bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis should be investigated especially in patients with asthma who has ongoing complaints despite suitable treatment and/or those who has atypical symptoms for asthma despite normal chest radiography.