TY - JOUR T1 - Asymptomatic bronchiectasis and related factors in a South Korean health screening population JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.00188-2021 SP - 00188-2021 AU - Soo Han Kim AU - Young Ju Jung AU - Myung-Su Ko AU - Sei Won Lee AU - Jae Seung Lee AU - Yeon-Mok Oh Y1 - 2021/01/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/early/2021/05/27/23120541.00188-2021.abstract N2 - Despite the burden of bronchiectasis, there is little data from South Korea regarding asymptomatic bronchiectasis. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of bronchiectasis based on computed tomography (CT) findings, with emphasis on asymptomatic bronchiectasis (CT-proven) and its related factors.We analysed data of individuals who underwent chest CT at a South Korean health screening centre from 2016 to 2017. The prevalence of bronchiectasis was evaluated and adjusted by sex, age, and corresponding year for the Korean general population. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors related to asymptomatic bronchiectasis by comparison between a group without bronchiectasis and a group with symptomatic bronchiectasis.Among the 27 617 subjects screened, 1005 were diagnosed with bronchiectasis based on CT findings, representing an adjusted prevalence of 2329/100 000. The adjusted prevalence of asymptomatic bronchiectasis was 1235/100 000, and that of symptomatic bronchiectasis was 1094/100 000. Compared with the non-bronchiectasis group, the factors related to asymptomatic bronchiectasis were female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–1.70), older age (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.05–1.07), comorbid liver disease (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.07–1.63) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; OR, 4.99; 95% CI, 2.88–8.64), history of tuberculosis (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.46–2.68), and low forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1; OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.98–0.998).In South Korea, the prevalence of asymptomatic bronchiectasis appeared higher than that of symptomatic bronchiectasis. Female sex, older age, liver disease, COPD, history of tuberculosis, and low FEV1 may be the factors related to asymptomatic bronchiectasis.FootnotesThis manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal. It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article.Conflict of interest: Soo Han Kim has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Young Ju Jung has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Myung-Su Ko has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Sei Won Lee has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Jae Seung Lee has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Yoen-Mok Oh has nothing to disclose. ER -