All You Need TO Know About Non-CF Bronchiectasis

Posted by aradigm on November 18th, 2016

Bronchiectasis: The Bronchi or the air pipes leading from windpipe (trachea) to both right and left lungs are further divided into smaller tubes medically referred as bronchioles. This bronchioles guide straight to the air sacs present in the lungs. When Bronchi and Bronchioles get infected and inflamed the medical experts call it bronchitis and bronchiolitis.

Bronchiectasis is a disease which permanently enlarges some of the parts of airways i.e., Bronchi and Bronchioles, present in the lungs. This irreversible change in the airways occurs due to the damage of the bronchial walls and chronic bacterial infection with inflammation. This infection increases the normal size of an airway and hence makes respiration tough.  

This can even lead to the damage and destruction of the elastic tissue and muscle of the bronchial walls. It can even damage very small hairy projections known as cilia, lining the airways. This results in the sagging of airway and the collection of mucus within it due to the absence of cilia. With this, the number of infection causing bacteria increases on the wall leading to a very markable effect on the windpipe. With the passage of the time, this infection and inflammation amplify resulting in tissue death.

Non-Cf Bronchiectasis: In medical terms, Bronchiectasis even gets prefixed by the term Non-CF (non-cystic fibrosis) in an attempt to eliminate the specified cause and in a condition where no cause is identified. Patients suffering from the disease of Bronchiectasis usually, have infection in the cystic fibrosis (CF) present in the chronic airway.

Diagnosis: Non-CF Bronchiectasis can be diagnosed by tomography scan, which is known for its high-resolution images of the chest via technically advanced computers. Causes: The line of attack Non-CF Bronchiectasis uses to infect airways is still under studies. Many studies for the diagnosis initiate by excluding the present patients of CF. In such a condition the patient not showing the exact symptoms of CF labeled as patient with Non-CF Bronchiectasis. Cilia abnormality due to Primary ciliary dyskinesia, HIV infection, autoimmune disease, Connective tissue disease like Marfan’s disease, etc; can also become a hidden cause of Non-CF Bronchiectasis

Epidemiology: As the condition of patient suffering from Non-CF Bronchiectasis is serious and a bit less known as compared to the CF, in this case, patient may require staying fairly longer. According to the past 4 years study the disease show mortality rate of 10 to 16 percent. Though, the cause of the disease can be from Bronchiectasis to any of the other respiratory failures.

Prevention: Effective antibiotic drugs and therapies that can progress mucociliary clearance can positively affect the infection. Management: According to the studies the use of Macrolides and oral Macrolides in CF can possibly reduce the exacerbation in the case of patient suffering from non-CF Bronchiectasis.Mannitol inhaled in the form of dry powder and Nebulized hypertonic saline can reduce the presence of osmolality and hence becomes easier to clear the mucus in the airways. Even after the usage of drugs if the patient doesn’t show any sign of improvement and if the bronchiectasis is localized, doctors can recommend lobectomy or segmentectomy through surgical evolution.

About the Author:

 The writer is an expert in the field of Aradigm-Non-Cf Bronchiectasis with focus on Pseudomonas Clinical Trials