Nosologic independence of pediatric protracted bacterial bronchitis in real clinical practice: single-stage continuous cross-sectional study

Aim. To study the clinical and paraclinical features of protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB), stated according to “clinical” definition of disease in children with relapsing course of respiratory diseases and a symptom of wet cough for more than 4 weeks.

Materials and methods. The study included 68 children with relapsing course of respiratory diseases, who have a symptom of wet cough for more than 4 weeks. Group 1 enclosed 30 (44 %) children, who corresponded to “clinical definition of PBB”. Group 2 – 38 (56 %) children without PBB manifestations.

Results. Bronchial asthma (46.6%, p < 0.05), degree 2-3 tracheobronchomalacia (30 %, p < 0.05) were more common in the group of children with “clinical” PBB. No any allergic pathology was observed in 13 (44.8 %) children with PBB. Among the main clinical features of PBB there were observed the following: the presence of night cough (73.3 %, p < 0.05), fine moist rales in the lungs (76.6 %), bronchoscopically – the presence of diffuse catarrhal-purulent endobronchitis (86.6 %).

Conclusions. Physicians should bear in mind one of the most frequent causes of protracted wet cough (more than 4 weeks), namely, PBB. When suspecting PBB, a patient should be sent to pulmonologist, undergo bronchoscopy and BAL by indications so as to assess microbial landscape in children with protracted productive cough and rales for a timely diagnosis of PBB and administration of antibacterial therapy.