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Background: Bronchiectasis exacerbations are critical events characterized by worsened symptoms and signs (ie, cough frequency, sputum volume, malaise)., Objectives: Our goal was to examine variations in airway and systemic inflammation, spirometry, and quality of life during steady state, bronchiectasis exacerbations, and convalescence (1 week following a 2-week antibiotic treatment) to determine whether potentially pathogenic microorganisms, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were associated with poorer conditions during bronchiectasis exacerbations., Methods: Peripheral blood and sputum were sampled to detect inflammatory mediators and bacterial densities. Spirometry and quality of life (St George Respiratory Questionnaire [SGRQ]) were assessed during the 3 stages., Results: Forty-eight subjects with bronchiectasis (43.2 ± 14.2 y of age) were analyzed. No notable differences in species and density of potentially pathogenic microorganisms were found during bronchiectasis exacerbations. Except for CXCL8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), serum inflammation was heightened during bronchiectasis exacerbations and recovered during convalescence. Even though sputum TNF-α was markedly higher during bronchiectasis exacerbations and remained heightened during convalescence, the variations in miscellaneous sputum markers were unremarkable. Bronchiectasis exacerbations were associated with notably higher SGRQ symptom and total scores, which recovered during convalescence. FVC, FEV1, and maximum mid-expiratory flow worsened during bronchiectasis exacerbations (median change from baseline of -2.2%, -0.8%, and -1.3%) and recovered during convalescence (median change from baseline of 0.6%, 0.7%, and -0.7%). Compared with no bacterial isolation, potentially pathogenic microorganism or P. aeruginosa isolation at baseline did not result in poorer clinical condition during bronchiectasis exacerbations., Conclusions: Bronchiectasis exacerbations are characterized by heightened inflammatory responses and poorer quality of life and spirometry, but not by increased bacterial density, which applies for subjects with and without potentially pathogenic microorganism isolation when clinically stable. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT01761214.)., (Copyright © 2015 by Daedalus Enterprises.)

Background: Current status of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection in clinically stable bronchiectasis in mainland China remains unclear., Objective: To compare the inflammation and lung function impairment in bronchiectasis patients isolated or infected with PA, potentially pathogenic microorganisms (PPMs) and commensals, and to identify factors associated with PA isolation and infection., Methods: Patients with steady-state bronchiectasis and healthy subjects were recruited. Peripheral blood and sputum were sampled to determine inflammatory markers and bacterial loads in steady-state bronchiectasis and health. Spirometry and diffusing capacity were also measured., Results: We enrolled 144 bronchiectasis patients and 23 healthy subjects. PA isolation and infection accounted for 44 and 39 patients, who demonstrated significant inflammatory responses and markedly impaired spirometry, but not diffusing capacity, compared with healthy subjects and patients isolated with other PPMs and commensals (all P<0.05). Except for heightened sputum inflammatory responses, there were no notable differences in serum inflammation and lung function as with the increased density of PA. Female gender [odds ratio (OR): 3.10 for PA isolation; OR: 3.74 for PA infection], 4 or more exacerbations within 2 years (OR: 3.74 for PA isolation, OR: 2.95 for PA infection) and cystic bronchiectasis (OR: 3.63 for PA isolation, OR: 4.47 for PA infection) were the factors consistently associated with PA isolation and infection., Conclusions: PA elicits intense inflammation and lung function impairment in steady-state bronchiectasis. The density of PA does not correlate with most clinical indices. PA infection is associated with females, frequent exacerbations and cystic bronchiectasis.