支气管扩张症——没有得到充分重视的常见病

Bronchiectasis is a pathological and permanent dilation of the bronchial tree caused by multiple reasons and is manifested as a chronic inflammatory disease of the purulent airway with repeated acute exacerbations. As a chronic respiratory structural disease, bronchiectasis is a common disease among Asian populations, but there is still a lack of accurate epidemiological data on bronchiectasis in China. A data based on a medical insurance institution in the United States shows that among adults aged 18 - 34 in the United States, the prevalence rate of bronchiectasis is 4.2 per 100,000, while it suddenly rises to 271.8 per 100,000 among people over 75 years old [1]. Another data also from a medical insurance institution in the United States shows that from 2000 to 2007, the number of patients with bronchiectasis increased at an annual rate of 8.74%; among people over 65 years old, the prevalence rate of bronchiectasis in Asian ethnic groups is 2.5 times and 3.9 times that of Caucasians and Blacks respectively [2]. These data indirectly suggest that Asian populations are more likely to suffer from bronchiectasis and its prevalence rate is high.

支气管扩张症是由于多种原因所导致的支气管树的病理性永久性扩张,表现为反复急性加重的化脓性气道慢性炎症性疾病.作为一种慢性呼吸道结构性疾病,支气管扩张症在亚洲人群中属于常见病,但在我国尚缺乏确切的支气管扩张症流行病学资料.来源于美国的一项基于医疗保险机构的数据显示,美国18～34岁成人中,支气管扩张症患病率为4.2/10万,而75岁以上人群则骤升至271.8/10万[1].另一项同为来自美国医疗保险机构的数据显示,2000-2007年,支气管扩张症患者每年以8.74％的速度递增;在65岁以上人群中,亚洲人种支气管扩张症的患病率分别是白种人和黑种人的2.5倍和3.9倍[2].这些数据从侧面提示亚洲人群更易患支气管扩张症,且其患病率高。