Physiotherapy

Vitamin D is a key molecule known to be involved in inflammation and immune responses so a team of Italian researchers sought to investigate whether vitamin D deficiency could be a factor in the clinical severity of bronchiectasis. The study, Vitamin D and disease severity in bronchiectasis (Ferri et al 2019) published in the journal […]

Inhaled antibiotics have been proposed as efficient treatments to reduce bacterial infections in bronchiectasis patients. Now researchers have shown that a new formulation of antibiotics using nanoparticles, called nanoplex, as a delivery vehicle has advantages compared to previous formulations. The study, “An evaluation of inhaled antibiotic liposome versus antibiotic nanoplex in controlling infection in bronchiectasis,” was published in the International

The latest European Respiratory Society Monograph: Bronchiectasis is now available! A team of world recognised experts in bronchiectasis have contributed to this monograph, covering topics from diagnosis, pathophysiology, microbiology, comorbidities, clinical features and consequences, medical and physiotherapy management. It highlights some of the clinical challenges faced in clinical trials and incorporates a number of case

The 3rd World Bronchiectasis conference was held in July 2018 in Georgetown, Washington DC. With a mix of world class presenters, it provided a comprehensive update on the latest options for management in bronchiectasis and Non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium (NTM) . The meeting highlighted the power of international registries, with growth in multiple areas of knowledge, including

With the help of experts from the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the bronchiectasis patient advisory group, new guidelines on the management of adult bronchiectasis have been produced using language that is easier for non-healthcare professionals to understand. The guideline is based on an ERS version for healthcare professionals. The original version considered the best available

A recent study published in Medical Sciences (April 2017) has shown that patients with both bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience more frequent and longer exacerbations than patients with only COPD. The study, titled: Exacerbations in COPD Patients with Bronchiectasis, aimed to evaluate the frequency and severity of bacterial exacerbations in patients with

The Aerobika® device The Aerobika® device is hand-held, easy-to-use, and drug-free. When the patient exhales through the device, intermittent resistance creates positive pressure and oscillations simultaneously, which stabilises the airways, helps expel the mucus to the upper airways where it can be coughed out, and may also aid in improved drug deposition. The Aerobika® device is available in Canada, Mexico, and select European

Pulmonary rehabilitation is routinely recommended for people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), but recent studies have highlighted that people diagnosed with bronchiectasis can also achieve benefit. The Clinical Practice Guideline from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand encourages regular exercise (1) and the recent Lung Foundation Australia and Thoracic Society of Australia

A study using UK primary care data found pre-existing coronary heart disease (CHD) (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.41) and stroke (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.85 to 2.01) were higher in people with bronchiectasis compared with those without bronchiectasis. The rate of first CHD and stroke were also higher in people with bronchiectasis (HR

April 24th – 30th is World Immunisation week which aims to raise awareness about the importance of being immunised. Influenza and pneumonia are common lung infections that cannot be underestimated and patients with bronchiectasis are more susceptible to these conditions. Vaccinations available for both of these conditions. For more information on influenza go to http://lungfoundation.com.au/patient-support/other-lung-conditions/influenza/.