Bronchiectasis with Chronic Rhinosinusitis Is Associated with Eosinophilic Airway Inflammation and Is Distinct from Asthma.

Rationale: Bronchiectasis is an airway inflammatory disease that is frequently associated with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). An eosinophilic endotype of bronchiectasis has recently been described, but detailed testing to differentiate eosinophilic bronchiectasis from asthma has not been performed.

Objectives

This prospective observational study aimed to test the hypotheses that bronchiectasis with CRS is enriched for the eosinophilic phenotype in comparison with bronchiectasis alone and that the eosinophilic bronchiectasis phenotype exists as a separate entity from bronchiectasis associated with asthma.

Methods

People with idiopathic or postinfectious bronchiectasis were assessed for concomitant CRS. We excluded people with asthma or primary ciliary dyskinesia and smokers. We assessed sputum and blood cell counts, nasal NO and fractional excreted NO, methacholine reactivity, skin allergy testing and total and specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E, cytokines in the sputum and serum, and the microbiome in the sputum and nasopharynx.

Results

A total of 22 people with CRS (BE + CRS) and 17 without CRS (BE - CRS) were included. Sex, age, Reiff score, and bronchiectasis severity were similar. Median sputum eosinophil percentages were 0% (IQR, 0-1.5%) in BE - CRS and 3% (1-12%) in BE + CRS (P = 0.012). Blood eosinophil counts were predictive of sputum eosinophilia (counts ⩾3%; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.85). Inclusion of CRS improved the prediction of sputum eosinophilia by blood eosinophil counts (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.94). Methacholine tests were negative in 85.7% of patients in the BE - CRS group and 85.2% of patients in the BE + CRS group (P > 0.99). Specific IgE and skin testing were similar between the groups, but total IgE levels were increased in people with increased sputum eosinophils. Microbiome analysis demonstrated distinct microbiota in nasopharyngeal and airway samples in the BE + CRS and BE - CRS groups, without significant differences between groups. However, interactome analysis revealed altered interactomes in individuals with high sputum eosinophil counts and CRS.

Conclusions

Bronchiectasis with CRS is associated with an eosinophilic airway inflammation that is distinct from asthma.