Causes and risk factors for Bronchiectasis
There are many causes of bronchiectasis which can be divided into three large groups:
Idiopathic: when the cause is unknown.
Respiratory tract infections: these can appear as a consequence of a previous lung infection, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis.
Associated with other diseases: these can be related to lung diseases —such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma— or other diseases not directly affecting the lungs, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and inflammatory bowel disease, among others.
Although it is a cause of many lung diseases, smoking is not a risk factor for developing bronchiectasis, but it can worsen its evolution.
Substantiated information by:
Published: 6 February 2025
Updated: 6 February 2025
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