Primary Care Respiratory Journal

Volume 20 Issue 2 June 2011

Guideline Summary

Primary care summary of the British Thoracic Society Guideline on the management of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis

Pages 135-140
^*Adam T Hill^a, Mark Pasteur^b, Charles Cornford^c, Sally Welham^d, Diana Bilton^e

^aDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Infirmary and University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

^bDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK

^cFulcrum Medical Practice, Middlesbrough, UK

^dBritish Thoracic Society, London, UK

^eDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK

Received 9 July 2010 • Accepted 22 November 2010 • Online 18 February 2011

Abstract
The British Thoracic Society (BTS) has recently published a guideline for the management of non-cystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis in children and adults. This paper summarises the key recommendations applicable to the primary care setting. The key points are: • Think of the diagnosis of bronchiectasis in adults and children who present with a chronic productive cough or unexplained haemoptysis, and in children with asthma which responds poorly to treatment; • High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scanning is needed to confirm the diagnosis • Sputum culture should be obtained at the start of an exacerbation prior to initiating treatment with antibiotics; Treatment should be started whilst awaiting the sputum result and should be continued for 14 days; • Patients with bronchiectasis have significant morbidity. Management in primary care is aimed at improving morbidity, and includes; patient education, treatment and monitoring, as well as appropriate referral to secondary care including assessment for long term antibiotics.

Cite as: Hill AT, Pasteur M, Cornford C, Welham S, Bilton D. Primary care summary of the British Thoracic Society Guideline on the management of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Prim Care Respir J 2011;20(2):135-140. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4104/pcrj.2011.00007

Keywords
Guideline, infection, bronchiectasis, BTS, summary, primary care, diagnosis, patient education, treatment, monitoring

* Corresponding author. Adam T Hill Tel: +44 (0)131 242 1921 Fax: +44 (0)131 242 1870 Email: adam.hill2@nhs.net

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