Follow-up of a cohort of patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis for 1 year

Abstract

Background: Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) leads to progressive damage that may limit a patient’s daily activities and modify his/her quality of life. Our objective was to evaluate the quality of life of patients with bronchiectasis during a 1 year follow-up using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire. Methods: A total of 100 patients with NCFB were recruited and followed-up with face-to-face visits or by telephone contact every three months for 1 year. At the time of recruiting and at the end of 1 year, the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire was applied to evaluate the patients’ quality of life. Variables, such as exacerbation, emergency care, comorbidities, hemoptysis, colonization, and hospitalization were assessed. Results: Of the 100 patients, 99 patients completed the study and 72% were women. There were no marked limitations in the mobility and self-care domains during the follow-up. Thirty-two patients were extremely anxious or depressed at the end of the follow-up. The quality of life assessed using EQ-5D-3L had an initial mean score of 0.545 and of 0.589 after 1 year, which was statistically significant (p= 0.011). Conclusion: Patients with NCFB have a poor quality of life and the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire may be a tool for monitoring patients with bronchiectasis.