Population-based prevalence of bronchiectasis and associated comorbidities in South Korea

Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disease characterised by abnormal dilatation of bronchi, which presents clinically with cough, sputum production and recurrent infection [1]. Although bronchiectasis had been regarded as an “orphan” disease [2], recent studies have shown that the prevalence of bronchiectasis is increasing and this disease causes a significant burden on public health, including increased healthcare costs, hospital admission and mortality [3–5]. A nationally representative study reveals that bronchiectasis prevalence in the South Korean population might be higher than in Western populations We thank Sang Won Seo, the manager of Hallym University Medical Center Business Information Team (Seoul, South Korea), for his generous assistance in data collection.