While once considered rare, bronchiectasis is now recognized to be more prevalent in all settings globally. The reported prevalence of childhood bronchiectasis is however higher among socially disadvantaged populations of high-income countries (e.g. Australian First Nations) and low-middle income countries, although an increasing number of non-First Nations children in high income countries and adults has been reported in recent years. In adults with bronchiectasis, >60% had symptoms present from childhood. While emerging evidence and guidelines have begun to improve our understanding of bronchiectasis, we still have a long way to go to address important clinical and management gaps across the life course. Unlike children with cystic fibrosis, there remains a lack of coordinated, interdisciplinary care transitioning from paediatric to adult care. Identifying novel, evidence-based solutions to improve the management of paediatric bronchiectasis transitioning to adult care will undoubtedly improve short- and long-term clinical outcomes.
The goal of this Research Topic is to call attention to optimizing management of paediatric bronchiectasis and outcomes, including the transition phase for managing bronchiectasis from childhood to adulthood. In recent decades, the importance of bronchiectasis has been increasingly appreciated globally, particularly in socially disadvantaged populations. Yet, investment in funding and resource allocation remains lacking, particularly in comparison to those with cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. We aim to highlight the need for novel therapies to target specific treatable traits in bronchiectasis, identification of endo/phenotypes in paediatric bronchiectasis, the need for biomarkers to identify at risk populations and the management of risk factors in childhood to prevent severe adult disease. Implementation of recent international paediatric evidence-based guidelines and an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to optimise the management of bronchiectasis extending from paediatric care to adulthood is needed.
We welcome manuscripts on, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Educational programs/tools to improve clinical outcomes in bronchiectasis
• Novel approaches to optimize the management of bronchiectasis across the life course
• Framework in transitioning paediatric bronchiectasis patients to adult care
• Organizational models of care (life course approach)
• Precision medicine approach to paediatric bronchiectasis
• Potential biomarkers for respiratory exacerbations in bronchiectasis in childhood
• Role of airway clearance and mucolytic therapies in the management of bronchiectasis across childhood
• Implementation of evidence guidelines into clinical practice
• Managing risk factors in childhood to prevention in adulthood
• Novel approaches to treating bronchiectasis and its treatable traits
• Paediatric patient specific interventions to reverse and/or prevent BE in early childhood
• Monitoring disease severity in childhood bronchiectasis
While once considered rare, bronchiectasis is now recognized to be more prevalent in all settings globally. The reported prevalence of childhood bronchiectasis is however higher among socially disadvantaged populations of high-income countries (e.g. Australian First Nations) and low-middle income countries, although an increasing number of non-First Nations children in high income countries and adults has been reported in recent years. In adults with bronchiectasis, >60% had symptoms present from childhood. While emerging evidence and guidelines have begun to improve our understanding of bronchiectasis, we still have a long way to go to address important clinical and management gaps across the life course. Unlike children with cystic fibrosis, there remains a lack of coordinated, interdisciplinary care transitioning from paediatric to adult care. Identifying novel, evidence-based solutions to improve the management of paediatric bronchiectasis transitioning to adult care will undoubtedly improve short- and long-term clinical outcomes.
The goal of this Research Topic is to call attention to optimizing management of paediatric bronchiectasis and outcomes, including the transition phase for managing bronchiectasis from childhood to adulthood. In recent decades, the importance of bronchiectasis has been increasingly appreciated globally, particularly in socially disadvantaged populations. Yet, investment in funding and resource allocation remains lacking, particularly in comparison to those with cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. We aim to highlight the need for novel therapies to target specific treatable traits in bronchiectasis, identification of endo/phenotypes in paediatric bronchiectasis, the need for biomarkers to identify at risk populations and the management of risk factors in childhood to prevent severe adult disease. Implementation of recent international paediatric evidence-based guidelines and an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to optimise the management of bronchiectasis extending from paediatric care to adulthood is needed.
We welcome manuscripts on, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Educational programs/tools to improve clinical outcomes in bronchiectasis
• Novel approaches to optimize the management of bronchiectasis across the life course
• Framework in transitioning paediatric bronchiectasis patients to adult care
• Organizational models of care (life course approach)
• Precision medicine approach to paediatric bronchiectasis
• Potential biomarkers for respiratory exacerbations in bronchiectasis in childhood
• Role of airway clearance and mucolytic therapies in the management of bronchiectasis across childhood
• Implementation of evidence guidelines into clinical practice
• Managing risk factors in childhood to prevention in adulthood
• Novel approaches to treating bronchiectasis and its treatable traits
• Paediatric patient specific interventions to reverse and/or prevent BE in early childhood
• Monitoring disease severity in childhood bronchiectasis
