Table 1 Characteristics of 47 bronchiectasis patients with NTM pulmonary disease

Age at diagnosis of NTM pulmonary disease, years, mean ± SD (range)

62.0 ± 10.6 (32–81)

Menopause

33/37 (89.2)

Species of NTM isolation

 M. avium complex (MAC)

31 (66.0)

 M. abscessus/M. chelonae

13 (27.6)

 M. kansasii

3 (6.4)

Specimens and frequency of NTM positive isolation

 ≥ 2 times of NTM positive isolation from sputum

15 (31.9)

 NTM positive isolation from BALF or lung tissue

32 (68.1)

Positive acid-fast bacilli smear from sputum/BALF

8 (17.0)

Symptoms at diagnosis of NTM pulmonary disease

 Cough/expectorant

42 (89.4)

 Hemoptysis

12 (25.0)

 Short of breath

15 (31.9)

 Fever

3 (6.4)

 Chest pain

2 (4.3)

Chest HRCT imaging feature of

 Bronchiectasis with nodules/tree-in-bud

47 (100)

 Non-centrilobular nodules

34 (72.3)

 Cavity

14 (29.8)

IGRA

 Positive

8/43 (18.6)

 Treatment*

34/47 (72.3)