International consensus statement on quality standards for managing children/adolescents with bronchiectasis from the ERS CRC Child-BEAR-Net

Eur Respir J. 2022;59(6):2200264

Bronchiectasis is a clinical syndrome encompassing recurrent or persistent wet/productive cough with abnormal bronchial dilatation as seen in chest computed tomography (CT) images.
While the quality of care for people with bronchiectasis is inequitable, the ELF-PAG for the European Respiratory Society (ERS) clinical practice guideline for managing bronchiectasis in children and adolescents expressed the urgent need for standardised quality care.

What exists and what is needed?

  • Quality standard statement based on the Birtish Thoracic Society (BTS) guidelines are available for the management of bronchiectasis in adults in the UK and other European countries.
  • However, such documents are currently not available for bronchiectasis in children.
  • The Child-BEAR-Net (Children’s Bronchiectasis Education, Advocacy and Research Network) aimed to fill this gap.

Quality standard statements for clinically significant bronchiectasis in children and adolescents
The CRC panel and European Lung Foundation-established parent advisory group (ELF-PAG) unanimously and independently endorsed these seven quality standard statements.

01

Children and adolescents suspected of bronchiectasis should have this confirmed by a chest computed tomography scan
04

Children and adolescents with bronchiectasis have the minimum panel of diagnostic tests undertaken
02

Children and adolescents with bronchiectasis are taught appropriate airway clearance techniques by a respiratory physiotherapist
05

Children and adolescents with bronchiectasis receive specialist paediatric respiratory physician care
03

Children and adolescents with bronchiectasis with an acute exacerbation are prescribed at least 14 days of antibiotics
06

Children and adolescents with bronchiectasis are reviewed at least 6- monthly by a multidisciplinary team
07

Children and adolescents with bronchiectasis who have >1 hospitalised or >3 non-hospitalised exacerbations in the previous 12 months are offered at least a 6-month trial of macrolide antibiotics and their response assessed
References:
Chang AB, Boyd J, Bush A, et al. International consensus statement on quality standards for managing children/adolescents with bronchiectasis from the ERS CRC Child-BEAR-Net. Eur Respir J. 2022;59(6):2200264.