Get together to increase awareness in bronchiectasis: a report of the 2nd World Bronchiectasis Conference: 2nd World Bronchiectasis Conference, 6-8 July 2017, Milan, Italy.

2nd World Bronchiectasis Conference, 6-8 July 2017, Milan, Italy.

Abstract

Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disease character- ized by a permanent dilation of the bronchi associated with cough, daily sputum production and recurrent episodes of respiratory infections. Bronchiectasis pathophysiology starts with a structural airway damage leading to an impaired mucociliary clearance, subsequent chronic bacterial infection and neutrophilic inflammation, which perpetuates this vicious cycle. For a long period of time, bronchiectasis has been recognized as an isolated radiological finding, while now we understand it as chronic and debilitating disease which requires specific management to improve patients’ outcomes.