The relationship of bronchiectasis to airway obstruction and inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis are diseases of respiratory tract with significant mortality and morbidity. The aim of our study was to identify the signs of bronchiectasis in COPD patients and possible effects on disease prognosis, and to evaluate these signs for diagnostic convenience.
Methods: This prospective study included a total of stable 60 moderate/severe COPD patients who were divided into two groups with/without bronchiectasis. Demographic data of the patients and systemic inflammation parameters, spirometric measurements, blood gas analysis, and clinical findings were recorded.
Results: Bronchiectasis was detected in 58.3% of COPD patients and is a mortality risk factor for COPD. Carbon dioxide(CO2) values in the blood gas analysis were found to be higher in the bronchiectasis group (p <0.05). The increase in the number of bronchiectasis segments was shown to reduce the FEV1/FVC (p<0.05). Sputum polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) values were negatively correlated with spirometric values in both groups (p<0.05 for FEV1% and FVC%).
Conclusion: Bronchiectasis is common and mortal in COPD patients. In laboratory tests, blood gas carbon dioxide values, which may affect mortality, were shown to be higher in the bronchiectasis group. Diffuse type bronchiectasis has more effect in spirometric results of COPD patients. Also, airway obstruction in COPD is well correlated with elevated sputum PMNL values which represent airway inflammation and if this is combined with high clinical suspicion it guides to a cost effective way for guiding radiological investigations for bronchiectasis.