Bronchiectasis in France: data on disease characteristics in 630 patients from the European Bronchiectasis registry (EMBARC)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Bronchiectasis in France

T2 - data on disease characteristics in 630 patients from the European Bronchiectasis registry (EMBARC)

AU - Burgel, Pierre Régis

AU - Bergeron, Anne

AU - Maitre, Bernard

AU - Andrejak, Claire

AU - Audoly, Cristina

AU - Boitiaux, Jean François

AU - Camara, Boubou

AU - Coolen-Allou, Nathalie

AU - Douvry, Benoit

AU - Chatté, Gérard

AU - Fanton, Annlyse

AU - Leroy, Sylvie

AU - Martin, Clémence

AU - Michaux, Karine

AU - Payet, Annabelle

AU - Pegliasco, Hervé

AU - Schlemmer, Frédéric

AU - Vignal, Guillaume

AU - Duchange, Agnès

AU - Burnet, Espérie

AU - Chalmers, James D.

AU - Murris-Espin, Marlène

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)

PY - 2025/11

Y1 - 2025/11

N2 - Background: Little is known about the characteristics of adults with bronchiectasis in France. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the characteristics of adults (≥18 years) with clinically-significant bronchiectasis, diagnosed on a combination of respiratory symptoms and CT scan findings, and followed in 18 participating centers. Data on, etiology, lung function, symptoms, microbiology, treatments and quality of life were collected. Results: Between January 2016 and July 2022, 630 adults (females: 66 %; ≥55 years: 73.8 %) were included. Idiopathic and post-infective causes represented 33.0 % and 37.1 % respectively; COPD and asthma, which were present in 15.6 % and 23.6 % of subjects, were considered as causes of bronchiectasis in only 3.8 % and 2.9 %, respectively. Only 25 % had normal spirometry and 7.3 % required long-term oxygen therapy. Daily sputum production was present in 78.1 % and 29.0 % had a modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea score ≥2. Positive bacterial sputum culture was found in 77.8 % of those with sputum samples (n = 455); including 157 (34.5 %) positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa within the past year. During the year prior to study entry, 75.4 % of patients reported at least one respiratory exacerbation, 33.8 % had at least one hospitalization and 24.5 % received outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT). Using the bronchiectasis severity index 26.0 %, 36.4 % and 37.6 % were considered as having mild, moderate and severe disease, respectively. Conclusion: In France, adults with bronchiectasis experience significant disease burden. Respiratory exacerbations are responsible for healthcare utilization and their prevention may require specialized multidisciplinary care and the development of novel therapeutic interventions.

AB - Background: Little is known about the characteristics of adults with bronchiectasis in France. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the characteristics of adults (≥18 years) with clinically-significant bronchiectasis, diagnosed on a combination of respiratory symptoms and CT scan findings, and followed in 18 participating centers. Data on, etiology, lung function, symptoms, microbiology, treatments and quality of life were collected. Results: Between January 2016 and July 2022, 630 adults (females: 66 %; ≥55 years: 73.8 %) were included. Idiopathic and post-infective causes represented 33.0 % and 37.1 % respectively; COPD and asthma, which were present in 15.6 % and 23.6 % of subjects, were considered as causes of bronchiectasis in only 3.8 % and 2.9 %, respectively. Only 25 % had normal spirometry and 7.3 % required long-term oxygen therapy. Daily sputum production was present in 78.1 % and 29.0 % had a modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea score ≥2. Positive bacterial sputum culture was found in 77.8 % of those with sputum samples (n = 455); including 157 (34.5 %) positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa within the past year. During the year prior to study entry, 75.4 % of patients reported at least one respiratory exacerbation, 33.8 % had at least one hospitalization and 24.5 % received outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT). Using the bronchiectasis severity index 26.0 %, 36.4 % and 37.6 % were considered as having mild, moderate and severe disease, respectively. Conclusion: In France, adults with bronchiectasis experience significant disease burden. Respiratory exacerbations are responsible for healthcare utilization and their prevention may require specialized multidisciplinary care and the development of novel therapeutic interventions.

KW - Bronchiectasis

KW - Pseudomonas aeruginosa

KW - vaccine

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105015164413

U2 - 10.1016/j.resmer.2025.101199

DO - 10.1016/j.resmer.2025.101199

M3 - Article

C2 - 40930055

AN - SCOPUS:105015164413

VL - 88

JO - Respiratory Medicine and Research

JF - Respiratory Medicine and Research

M1 - 101199

ER -