Publication: Clinical spectrum of patients presenting with bronchiectasis in Nepal: Evidence of linkage between tuberculosis, tobacco smoking and toxic exposure to biomass smoke
Date
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
Abstract
Aims and objectives: The aim of the study was to describe the clinical spectrum of the patients presenting with
bronchiectasis at the referral clinic for the respiratory diseases in eastern Nepal. An attempt would also be made to
provide an overview of factors responsible for poor lung health in the community.
Materials and methods: This is a retrospective observational study conducted at the Adult Chest Clinic of the Department
of Internal Medicine at the B.P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan Nepal. The medical records of
all the consecutive patients presenting with the diagnosis of bronchiectasis in the Adult Chest Clinic of Department of
Medicine from January 2003 to December 2004 (two years) were reviewed for patient characteristics (age, gender, place
of residence, occupation, smoking history, exposure to indoor air pollution due to use of biomass smoke, past and family
history related to tuberculosis, and clinical characteristics such as clinical features and duration of symptoms
Results: During the study period of two years, 100 patients presented with the diagnosis of bronchiectasis, 80 (80%)
patients were smokers and 50 (50%) patients had history of significant exposure to indoor air pollution. Abnormal
Chest X-ray was seen in 85(85%) patients. Post tubercular bronchiectasis was the most common etiological diagnosis
Smoking status and exposure to indoor air pollution were important determinant for hospitalisation in patients with post
tubercular bronchiectasis.
Conclusions: In Nepal bronchiectasis remains one of the important chronic respiratory diseases, post tubercular variety
being the commonest type .Tuberculosis, tobacco smoking and exposure to indoor air pollution contributes towards
higher morbidity of this diseases.
Key words: Bronchieactasis, Indoor air pollution, Lung health, Tobacco smoking, Tuberculosis
Description
Bhatta N 1 , Dhakal SS 2, Rizal S3, Kralingen KWV4, Niessen L 5
1,2,3 Department of Internal Medicine, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal, 4 Department of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands, 5Institutes of Health Policy and Management and Medical Technology Assessment, ErasmusMC, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam Netherlands.