Phenotypes of Adult Bronchiectasis: Onset of Productive Cough in Childhood and Adulthood

Figures & data

Figure 1 This figure demonstrates the age of onse of a productive cough in the bronchiectasis cohort. The median value is 10 years of age.

Table 1 Demographics of patient group

	Study Population	Childhood Onset	Adult Onset	p-value (Childhood versus Adult)
Sample size (%)	182	107 (59)	75 (41)
Age, years, mean (SD)	58 (15)	56 (15)	61 (15)	0.023
Female, n (%)	116 (64)	80 (75)	35 (47)	< 0.001
Age of onset of cough, years, median (range)	10 (5-052)	5 (4–10)	55 (45–70)	< 0.001
Age at diagnosis, years, mean (SD)	57 (17)	54 (19)	60 (15)	0.025
Idiopathic disease, n (%)	136 (75)	81 (76)	55 (73)	0.692

n = number, SD = standard deviation.

Table 2 Features of childhood onset and adult onset groups

	Childhood Onset (n = 107)	Adult Onset (n = 75)	p-value
Symptoms
Duration of productive cough, years, median (range)	50 (40–60)	5 (1–15)	< 0.001
Volume of sputum, mls, median (range)	30 (15–50)	15 (5–40)	0.159
MRC dyspnoea score, mean (SD)	2.1 (1.0)	2.0 (1.1)	0.526
Haemoptysis in the past year, n (%)	32 (30)	12 (16)	0.097
Rhinosinusitis, n (%)	78 (73)	20 (27)	< 0.001
Hospitalisations in the past year, n (%)	27 (25)	23 (32)	0.419
Exacerbations, mean (SD)	3.1 (1.8)	2.0 (1.6)	< 0.001
Signs
Crepitations, n (%)	68 (64)	15 (20)	< 0.001
Wheeze, n (%)	24 (22)	17 (23)	0.970
Clubbing, n (%)	1 (0.9)	1 (1)	0.999
FEV1
Litres, mean (SD)	1.57 (0.73)	2.20 (0.81)	< 0.001
Percent predicted, mean (SD)	65 (24)	83 (26)	< 0.001
FVC
Litres, mean (SD)	2.39 (0.89)	3.10 (1.02)	< 0.001
Percent predicted, mean (SD)	78 (24)	94 (23)	< 0.001
FEV1/FVC
Ratio, mean (SD)	69 (13)	66 (14)	0.230
CT
Lobes with bronchiectasis, mean (SD)	2.50 (1.06)	2.15 (1.09)	0.017
HRCT score, mean (SD)	29 (17)	21 (13)	< 0.001

FEV₁ = forced expiratory volume in 1 second, FCV = forced vital capacity, CT = computed tomography, HRCT = high resolution computed tomography.

Table 3 Microbiologic findings in groups

	Childhood Onset (n = 107)	Adult Onset (n = 75)	p-value
Adequate specimens obtained, n (%)	98 (92)	49 (65)	< 0.001
Results of adequate specimen, n (%)
Haemophilus influenzae	35 (36)	18 (37)	0.903
Pseudomonas aeruginosa	11 (11)	3 (6)	0.321
Other	24 (24)	6 (12)	0.082
No growth	28 (30)	22 (43)	0.048

Table 4 Features of non-smokers and smokers in adult onset group

	Non-smokers (n = 45)	Smokers (n = 30)	p-value
Clinical features
Age, years, mean (SD)	59 (17)	64 (10)	0.194
Volume of sputum, ml, median (range)	15 (5–50)	13 (5–30)	0.297
MRC dyspnoea score, mean (SD)	1.6 (1.0)	2.5 (1.2)	< 0.001
Rhinosinusitis, n (%)	16 (36)	4 (13)	0.037
Exacerbations, mean (SD)	1.9 (1.6)	2.2 (1.5)	0.422
Crepitations, n (%)	21 (47)	14 (47)	1.000
Investigations
FEV1 percent predicted, mean (SD)	91 (20)	75 (26)	0.004
Lobes involved on CT, mean (SD)	2.1 (1.0)	2.3 (1.2)	0.442

Figure 2 This figure demonstrates relationship between FEV₁ and duration of chronic productive cough in years. A) Represents the whole cohort, slope of line is −0.44, p < 0.001. B) Represents the cohort after removal of subjects with a smoking history, slope of line is −0.51, p < 0.001.