Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi, the large airways that conduct air to and from the lungs, producing cough, sputum, wheeze, chest tightness, and breathlessness. It is classified as acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is usually a self-limiting consequence of viral, and less often bacterial, respiratory infe…
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi, the large airways that conduct air to and from the lungs, producing cough, sputum, wheeze, chest tightness, and breathlessness. It is classified as acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is usually a self-limiting consequence of viral, and less often bacterial, respiratory infection, whereas chronic bronchitis is defined by a productive cough persisting over prolonged periods and is strongly associated with tobacco smoke and air pollution, forming part of the spectrum of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The underlying pathophysiology involves mucosal inflammation, increased mucus secretion, impaired mucociliary clearance, and airway narrowing. Rarer forms include plastic bronchitis, in which branching airway casts obstruct the bronchial tree and may require specialized management, particularly in children. Assessment of patients overlaps with the evaluation of co-morbidities across COPD phenotypes, and management centres on relieving symptoms and treating the cause, encompassing antitussive and mucolytic agents, bronchodilators, and inhaled or systemic anti-inflammatory therapy, alongside smoking cessation and avoidance of airway irritants. Cough control, including pharmacological options, is a recurring clinical concern. Study of bronchitis addresses distinguishing infective from inflammatory drivers, characterizing disease phenotypes, managing acute exacerbations, and reducing the long-term respiratory burden imposed by environmental and behavioural risk factors.
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