Vol. 5, Issue 1, Part A (2023)

Background: Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory condition in which infection, inflammation, and damage of the airways all play a role. Intense airway inflammation is precipitated by pathogenic insults, resulting in chronic airway damage. Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a noninvasive approach that might offer worldwide information on airway resistance by researching the mechanical waves superimposed upon breathing movements. It has been observed that IOS may differentiate peripheral airways abnormalities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, interstitial pulmonary disease (ILD) and pulmonary fibrosis (CF) with high degree of precision.
Methods: This research was carried out on 40 cases with bronchiectasis diagnosed by HRCT. Such cases were classified into two groups, according to Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI)(108): group I: Included 20 cases with mild to moderate bronchiectasis and group II: Included 20 cases with severe bronchiectasis. Cases included in the research were subjected to full history taking and complete physical examination. This includes: Complete blood count (CBC), sputum culture, chest x-ray to exclude cases with other lung diseases, High-Resolution Computerized Tomography (HRCT), that were interpreted for the presence, pattern and distribution of bronchiectasis, arterial blood gases, echocardiography, measuring systolic pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary function tests (PFT), Impulse Oscillometry and reactance area (AX) were measured. 
Results: Regarding disease duration, no significant differences was found between both groups while a statistically significant difference was observed between groups regarding the used medications. Regarding laboratory investigations, no significant difference was observed among the groups for any of the measured measurements. Regarding functional assessment data, A statistically evident difference was found between groups in the following: MEF 50%, FEV1% predicted, FEV1/FVC% and FVC% with no significant differences in FEV1. Regarding IOS measurements, A statistically evident difference was found between both groups in R5% predicted while no difference was observed regarding R5 actual, R20, AX, or X5.
Positive correlation was very high in between HRCT score and each of FEV1% predicted, FVC (%) AX, R5% predicted, R5 actual, R20 and X5 but negative correlation was very high in between HRCT score and MEF 75%, FEV1/FVC%
Conclusions: IOS measurements are markedly increased in cases with bronchiectasis and they are correlated with spirometric measurements and HRCT scores.