Background: P. aeruginosa (PA) and H. influenzae (HI) are pathogens found in Bronchiectasis (B) patients (pts) during exacerbations and often require IV antibiotics. It's unclear if patients with these pathogens stand out in terms of symptoms and QoL.
Aims: Compare PA and HI in QoL and symptoms for B patients needing IV treatment.
Methods: EMBARC pts with sputum-verified PA or HI infection and clinical decision for IV treatment included. Pts filled out CAT for symptoms and the specific QoL-B.
Results: We included 21 pts (median age 63, 62% females), 14 with a PA (66.7%), 8 non-mucoid and 6 mucoid, and 7 with HI (33,3%). Pts with PA had a significantly higher CAT score vs. those with HI (21.5, 16-35 vs. 17, p=0.017, Mann-Whitney; median, min-max). Mucoid and non-mucoid PA had similar CAT scores. Pts with PA and HI differed in their QoL-B domain scores (table 1, medians), with physical functioning reach statistical significance (p=0.14 Mann-Whitney). QoL-B domains did not differ significantly among mucoid and non-mucoid PA.
| Physical | Role | Vitality | Emotional | Social |
Treatmenmt burden |
Health Perceptions |
Resp symptoms |
|
| HI | 53.3 | 66.7 | 44.4 | 83.3 | 55.6 | 55.6 | 25 | 66.7 |
| PA | 13.3 | 56.65 | 33.3 | 75 | 56.95 | 66.7 | 25 | 55.6 |
PA pts with a high bacterial load (? 107- 108, CFU/mL) had significantly higher CAT vs pts with moderate bacterial load (? 106- 107 CFU/mL), ( p=0.024, Mann-Whitney). Among PA or HI pts with a high bacterial load, PA pts had the highest CAT score (p=0.028, Mann-Whitney)
Conclusion: CAT and QoL-B are useful clinical tools to use in B pts with a PA or HI infection need IV antibiotics.