Background: In patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (BE) there is a risk of malnutrition due to increased respiratory work and chronic inflammation. The aim was to evaluate the nutritional status of BE patients and its relationship with both health-related quality of life (QoL) and inflammation.

Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire and QoL Questionnaire-Bronchiectasis v3.1 (QOL-B) were used. Inflammatory cytokines and mediators (TNF-?, IL-1A, IL-1B, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A, IFN-?) were quantified by multiplex immunoassays kit. Patients were categorised into 2 groups based on nutritional status: normal and vulnerable (risk of malnutrition or malnutrition).

Results: A total of 60 patients were included; 42 (70%) women, 65±13 years. Out of them, 50% were normal and 50% were vulnerable. 5 out of the 8 QoL domains were significantly different among the groups (Fig. 1). Further, IL-1A levels in the vulnerable patients were significantly higher (median 18.23 vs. 25.63 pg/mL, p=0.03). These results were kept when considering QoL and IL-1A concurrently.

Conclusions: In BE patients, the risk of malnutrition is associated with worse QoL and higher levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1A. Thus, addressing the nutritional status may be key to enhance the QoL of these patients and should be considered in clinical management.