The role of systemic markers of inflammation in bronchiectasis

Introduction: Exacerbations of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (BE) are associated with increased systemic inflammation. Studies support an important role for neutrophils and cell-mediated immunity in the pathophysiology of BE, but the role of other inflammatory cells is less clear. Aims and Objectives: The aims of our study were: to describe changes in markers of inflammation during an exacerbation of BE and in a stable state; to investigate their relationship with clinical outcomes. Methods: A prospective bicentric observational study was performed in adult exacerbated BE patients*. Blood samples were taken for measurement of inflammatory markers at days 1 and 5 of the exacerbation and at day 30 after the exacerbation (stable state). Results: We measured the systemic levels of markers of 261 exacerbated BE patients (115 males, 72 [63; 78] years) (Table 1). Twenty-three (8.8%) patients died during the 1-year follow up and they showed significant different markers levels at days 5 and 30 (Table 2). Conclusions: CRP, WBC, neutrophils and NLR are measurable markers of inflammation that could be useful to predict the mortality in BE. *Hill AT et al. Eur. Respir. J (2017)