Recurrent obstructive bronchitis

Recurrent obstructive bronchitis is a repeated exacerbation of broncho-obstruction that occurs several times during one season, usually against the background of an existing infection. Simply put, cured acute obstructive bronchitis can flare up again after a person gets sick with a common cold. Such outbreaks of exacerbation that occur several times in a short period of time are usually called relapses.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ]

What causes recurrent obstructive bronchitis?

Acute respiratory viral infections are the triggers for relapses of obstructive bronchitis. Most often, such a disease is characteristic of children, especially young children. In the medical field, recurrent obstructive bronchitis is called a precursor to bronchial asthma.

This is explained by the fact that children who are subject to frequent obstructions of the bronchial tree are most predisposed to the development of further attacks of bronchial asthma.

How does recurrent obstructive bronchitis progress?

As mentioned above, relapses are repeated outbreaks of a recently suffered disease. In the case of obstructive bronchitis, relapses can be observed during the first two years. The impetus for relapse is an infectious lesion of the body, also known as ARVI.

Against the background of the main symptoms of ARVI: slight or subfebrile body temperature, reddening of the throat, enlarged tonsils, nasal discharge, coughing turning into a strong dry cough. General weakness of the body, lack of appetite. Within a few days, the signs of ARVI decrease, and the cough becomes wet, the discharge of mucous or mucopurulent sputum increases.

Coarse wheezing is heard in the lungs, isolated, dry or wet, finely or coarsely bubbly, with changing quantitative and qualitative indicators before and after coughing.

For recurrent conditions, it is important to observe during periods of remission, recovery of the body after the disease. It is worth noting that after the acute phase of recurrent obstructive bronchitis subsides, the so-called "increased readiness to cough" is observed during the remission period. An example is a situation in which a breath of fresh frosty air or another provoking factor causes a severe coughing fit.

How to recognize recurrent obstructive bronchitis?

The most informative methods are considered to be chest X-rays, which clearly show a greatly enlarged pulmonary pattern. The clarity of the pulmonary pattern is more pronounced during an exacerbation, but even in a state of remission, its increase differs significantly from the normal values.

In the acute period, bronchoscopy is very informative. It can be used to promptly detect the spread of catarrhal or catarrhal-purulent endobronchitis.

Bronchography is also indicative, in which a contrast agent is injected into the bronchi and the patency of the bronchial tree is observed as it moves. Recurrent obstructive bronchitis gives a picture of very slow or partial filling of the bronchi, or visible narrowing of the bronchial lumen, which indicates the presence of bronchospasms.

In clinical and biochemical analyses of blood and urine, no special changes characterizing the disease in question are revealed.

Differential diagnostics

When making an accurate diagnosis, in young children, a detailed differential diagnosis should be carried out in order to exclude bronchial asthma. The diagnosis of "bronchial asthma" will be made if:

• Exacerbation of obstruction more than three times in a row during a calendar year.
• A history of allergies or the presence of any severe allergic reaction.
• Eosinophilia (the presence of eosinophils in the peripheral blood).
• Absence of elevated temperature during an attack of obstruction.
• Positive allergy indicators in the blood.

[ 3 ], [ 4 ], [ 5 ], [ 6 ], [ 7 ], [ 8 ]

How is recurrent obstructive bronchitis treated?

The treatment algorithm for acute obstructive bronchitis is also used to treat relapses of this disease. There are no separate, specially developed treatment schemes for relapses. To prevent subsequent relapses of the disease, it is necessary to carry out constant and targeted prevention.

During the treatment period, the necessary rest, nutrition and breathing regime is provided. For inhaled air, the general temperature indicators are mandatory, it should be within +18 - +20 degrees and humidity not lower than 60%. Warm and humid air helps relieve bronchospasm, liquefy sputum and alleviate the condition in general.

The main task in treating obstructive bronchitis is to relieve bronchial congestion. This task is well handled by consistently used, according to certain schemes, drugs of such groups as mucolytics and bronchodilators. For small children, such drugs are most often prescribed in the form of inhalations.

Antibacterial therapy is prescribed only according to indications. It can last from 3 to 7 days.

Physiotherapy and exercise therapy, massage exercises aimed at improving blood circulation and ventilation of the lungs have a good therapeutic effect.

In difficult situations, when obstruction recurrences occur frequently, treatment may last up to three months or more. The treatment includes medications used for mild bronchial asthma.

Special individual regimens and doses of medications are prescribed, depending on the severity of the disease, the age of the child and the presence of concomitant diseases.

What is the prognosis for recurrent obstructive bronchitis?

The child's body simply outgrows many diseases. Obstructive bronchitis is one of such diseases.

Children are kept under dispensary observation for 2-3 years after the first attack of the disease and are removed from it if there are no relapses during the observation period. From all this it follows that recurrent obstructive bronchitis has a favorable prognosis for complete recovery.