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(Chest. 1998;113:199S-204S.)
© 1998 American College of Chest Physicians

Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Bronchitis

An International Comparison

Peter Ball MD1 and Barry Make MD, FCCP2

1 From the Infectious Diseases Department, Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, Fife, United Kingdom
2 From the Emphysema and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, and the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver

The prevalence of chronic bronchitis is between 3% and 17% in most developed countries. However, higher rates in the range of 13 to 27% are encountered in less developed areas of the world. Acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) have usually been defined as the presence of increases in cough/sputum, sputum purulence, and dyspnea. However, recent investigations suggest that the severity of AECB may be divided into three stages based on the history of the patient: (1) previously healthy individuals; (2) patients with chronic cough and sputum and infrequent exacerbations; and (3) persons with frequent exacerbations or more severe chronic airflow limitation. Therapy for patients with less severe AECB include older and less expensive broad-spectrum antibiotics, while newer agents are indicated for patients with the most severe stage of AECB.






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Copyright © 1998 by the American College of Chest Physicians.