On the issue of diagnosing bronchiectasis in children - where do we stand now?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15574/SP.2026.1(153).3439Keywords:
bronchiectasis, children, computed tomography, diagnosis, chronic cough, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, immunodeficiencyAbstract
Aim - to review and analyze contemporary literature data regarding bronchiectasis in children, to increase physician awareness and to improve recognition of bronchiectasis in pediatric patients, and to formulate and establish the main diagnostic criteria for bronchiectasis.
We conducted a literature search in the PubMed and Cochrane scientometric databases over the last 10 years (since January 2014) using the search terms «bronchiectasis» or «suppurative lung disease», and «diagnosis» or «endotypes», or «phenotypes», or «biomarkers», and «children». It highlights that the prevalence of bronchiectasis is much higher, and the clinical spectrum of diseases causing its development is much broader than previously thought. High-resolution computed tomography of the chest serves as the gold standard for instrumental diagnosis of bronchiectasis in children, with the modern diagnostic criterion of broncho-arterial ratio in children differing from that used previously.
Patients with suspected or newly diagnosed bronchiectasis require a minimum panel of diagnostic examinations to delineate the primary cause of bronchiectasis and subsequently form an individual treatment and rehabilitation program.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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