Regular chest physiotherapy is advocated in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis despite little evidence supporting its routine use. This study aimed to establish the efficacy of regular chest physiotherapy in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis compared with no regular chest physiotherapy.20 patients not practising regular chest physiotherapy were enrolled in a randomised crossover trial of 3 months of twice daily chest physiotherapy using an oscillatory positive expiratory pressure device compared with 3 months of no chest physiotherapy. The primary end-point was the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ). Additional outcomes included 24-h sputum volume, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of FVC (FEF25-75%), maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), exercise capacity, sputum microbiology and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). The treatment effect was estimated using the differences of the pairs of observations from each patient.There was a significant improvement in all domains and total LCQ score with regular chest physiotherapy (median (interquartile range) total score improvement 1.3 (-0.17-3.25) units; p50.002). 24-h sputum volume increased significantly with regular chest physiotherapy (2 (0-6) mL; p50.02), as did exercise capacity (40 (15-80) m; p50.001) and SGRQ total score (7.77 (-0.99-14.5) unit improvement; p50.004). No significant differences were seen in sputum bacteriology, FEV1, FVC, FEF25-75%, MIP or MEP.Regular chest physiotherapy in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis has small, but significant benefits.

Health-related quality of life is a potentially important marker for evaluating existing and new therapies in bronchiectasis. The Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) is a symptom specific questionnaire designed to assess the impact of cough severity, a major symptom of bronchiectasis. This study aimed to validate the LCQ in bronchiectasis.The validity, responsiveness and reliability of the LCQ were assessed as follows: ability to discriminate severe and mild disease; change in score following antibiotic treatment for exacerbations; repeatability over a 6-month period in stable disease; and comparison with the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).In total, 120 patients (51 with severe disease, 29 with moderate disease and 40 with mild disease) completed the LCQ and SGRQ. The area under the receiver-operator curve was good for both severe and mild disease (0.84 and 0.80 respectively, p,0.0001). Following 2 weeks' antibiotic treatment, the median LCQ score (interquartile range) improved from 11.3 (9.3-13.7) to 17.8 (15-18.8) (p,0.0001). The LCQ score was repeatable over 6 months in stable disease (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.96 (95%CI 0.93-0.97), p,0.0001). Correlation between the LCQ and SGRQ scores was -0.7 in both stable disease and exacerbations (p,0.0001).The LCQ can discriminate disease severity, is responsive to change and is reliable for use in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

This study explored the utility of sputum colour in clinically stable patients with bronchiectasis.Interpretation of sputum colour between the doctor and the patient was reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.76-0.89). Sputum colour predicted bacterial colonisation (5% in mucoid sputum; 43.5% in mucopurulent sputum; 86.4% in purulent sputum; p,0.0001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent factors associated with purulent sputum were bacterial colonisation, varicose or cystic bronchiectasis, forced expiratory volume in 1 s ,80% predicted and diagnosis of bronchiectasis aged ,45 yrs.

Pulmonary rehabilitation in addition to regular chest physiotherapy, improves exercise tolerance and health related quality of life in non cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis and the benefit was sustained at 12 weeks post end of pulmonary rehabilitation. Clinical trials regn no. NCT00868075.

Background:We introduced domiciliary intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy in patients with bronchiectasis to promote patient-centred domiciliary treatment instead of hospital inpatient treatment.Aim:To assess the efficacy and safety of domiciliary IV antibiotic therapy in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.Methods:In this prospective study conducted over 5 years, we assessed patients’ eligibility for receiving domiciliary treatment. All patients received 14 days of IV antibiotic therapy and were monitored at baseline/day 7/day 14. We assessed the treatment outcome, morbidity, mortality and 30-day readmission rates.Results:A total of 116 patients received 196 courses of IV antibiotics. Eighty courses were delivered as inpatient treatment, 32 as early supported discharge (ESD) and 84 as domiciliary therapy. There was significant clinical and quality of life improvement in all groups, with resolution of infection in 76% in the inpatient group, 80% in the ESD group and 80% in the domiciliary group. Morbidity was recorded in 13.8% in the inpatient group, 9.4% in the ESD group and 14.2% in the domiciliary IV group. No mortality was recorded in either group. Thirty-day readmission rates were 13.8% in the inpatient group, 12.5% in the ESD group and 14.2% in the domiciliary group. Total bed days saved was 1443.Conclusion:Domiciliary IV antibiotic therapy in bronchiectasis is clinically effective and was safe in our cohort of patients.