Abstract: Objective To evaluate the clinical manifestations of adult patients with bronchiectasis, and to explore the difference among diverse imaging types on high-resolution chest CT scan. Methods Adult patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis by high-resolution chest CT scan were consecutively recruited from 2 general hospitals in Shandong Province from September 2011 to August 2014. Etiology, clinical presentations, radiographic features, pulmonary function and sputum microbiology were analyzed. The difference among diverse imaging types on high-resolution chest CT scan was determined. Results A total of 313 adult patients with bronchiectasis were included. Idiopathic bronchiectasis (217 cases, 69.3%) was the most common reason, followed by post-tuberculosis bronchiectasis (57 cases, 18.2%). The most vulnerable lobe was lower lobe of left lung (219 cases, 70.0%). The characteristic presentations were cough (296 cases, 94.6%), expectoration (285 cases, 91.1%), hemoptysis (127 cases, 40.6%), and moist rales on chest examination (195 cases, 62.3%). Pulmonary function abnormalities were identified in 218 patients (69.6%), in whom obstructive ventilatory dysfunction was the most common type (136 cases, 62.4%). One hundred and forty-four patients' sputum specimens were tested positive (144 cases, 46.0%). The most commonly isolated pathogen was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (106 cases, 73.6%). Patients with cystic bronchiectasis had a higher frequency of expectoration, dyspnea, fever and fatigue (all P<0.001). Conclusion A large proportion of bronchiectasis patients are idiopathic. The predominant clinical features are cough, expectoration, hemoptysis and fixed moist rales. Patients with cystic bronchiectasis are prone to suffer from more severe clinical manifestations.

Key words: Etiology, Pulmonary function, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Cystic bronchiectasis, Bronchiectasis