Table 3 Clinical characteristics of bronchiectasis patients with and without NTM pulmonary disease
Characteristic | Patients with NTM | Patients without NTM | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
No. of patients | 47 | 155 | Â |
Course of bronchiectasis, n (%) | Â | Â | 0.290 |
 < 1 year | 17(36.2) | 44(28.4) |  |
 1–10 years | 20 (42.5) | 60 (38.7) |  |
 ≥ 10 years | 10 (21.3) | 51 (32.9) |  |
Age at diagnosis of bronchiectasis ≥ 50 years | 35 (74.5) | 88 (56.8) | 0.029 |
Etiology of bronchiectasis, n (%) | Â | Â | 0.001 |
 Post-infective | 36 (76.6) | 59 (38.1) |  |
 Idiopathic | 9 (19.1) | 74 (47.7) |  |
 Others | 2 (4.3) | 22 (14.2) |  |
 COPD | 2 (4.3) | 13 (8.4) |  |
 Rheumatoid arthritis | 0 (0) | 6 (3.9) |  |
 Immunodeficiency | 0 (0) | 3 (1.9) |  |
mMRC ≤ 2 scores | 43 (91.5) | 128 (82.6) | 0.138 |
FACED # n (%) | Â | Â | 0.901 |
 Mild | 30 (66.7) | 98 (70.0) |  |
 Moderate | 10 (22.2) | 29 (20.7) |  |
 Sever | 5 (11.1) | 13 (9.3) |  |
BSI # n (%) | Â | Â | 0.130 |
 Low | 8 (17.8) | 21 (15.0) |  |
 Moderate | 8 (17.8) | 47 (33.6) |  |
 High | 29 (64.4) | 72 (51.4) |  |
 ≥ 3 times of bronchiectasis exacerbations in last year | 29 (61.7) | 56 (36.1) | 0.002 |
 ≥ 1 times of in-hospital in last 2 years | 35 (74.5) | 119 (76.8) | 0.745 |
Microbial culture results, n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 Pseudomonas aeruginosa positive isolation | 11 (23.4) | 37 (24.0) | 0.930 |
 Other bacteria positive isolation | 7 (14.9) | 34 (21.9) | 0.313 |
 Fungus positive isolation | 6 (12.8) | 16 (10.3) | 0.789 |
Chest HRCT imaging, n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 Bronchiectasis involved bilateral lungs | 39 (83.0) | 105 (67.7) | 0.043 |
 Bronchiectasis involved ≥ 2 lung lobes | 43 (91.5) | 127 (81.9) | 0.116 |
Bronchiectasis type | Â | Â | 0.216 |
 Cylindrical | 35 (74.5) | 94 (60.7) |  |
 Cystic | 1 (2.1)) | 7 (4.5) |  |
 Mixed | 11 (23.4) | 54 (34.8) |  |
Bronchiectasis main lesions | Â | Â | Â |
 In upper lobe | 6 (12.8) | 24 (15.5) | 0.646 |
 In middle lobe or lingual | 30 (63.8) | 37 (23.9) | 0.001 |
 In lower lobe | 17 (36.2) | 110 (71.0) | 0.001 |
With ≥ 3 abnormal imaging features | 42 (89.4) | 33 (21.3) | 0.001 |
 With consolidation/infiltrates shadow | 43 (91.5) | 127 (81.9) | 0.116 |
 With nodular shadow | 47 (100) | 55 (35.5) | 0.001 |
 With tree-in bud sign | 46 (97.9) | 45 (29.0) | 0.001 |
 With cavities | 14 (29.8) | 9 (5.8) | 0.001 |
With swollen lymph nodes in mediastinum | 8 (17.0) | 25 (16.1) | 0.885 |
FEV1 (% predicted)# | Â | Â | 0.379 |
 FEV1 ≥ 80% | 26 (57.8) | 65 (46.4) |  |
 50 ≤ FEV1 < 80% | 12 (26.7) | 43 (30.7) |  |
 FEV1 < 50% | 7 (15.5) | 32 (22.9) |  |