A research study led by Professor XU Jinfu from the School of Medicine, Tongji University, and the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, has been published as a cover article in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, a leading journal in respiratory and critical care medicine. It was conducted by members of the Bronchiectasis-China (BE-China) cohort, a national research alliance on bronchiectasis clinical diagnosis and treatment.

The study included 10,324 patients with bronchiectasis from 97 medical centers across China. It is the first to outline the baseline clinical characteristics of Chinese bronchiectasis patients, highlighting the urgent need for standardized and improved disease management. Economic analysis revealed a higher disease burden among patients in lower-income regions. Additionally, a comparative analysis with international bronchiectasis cohorts underscored distinct features of Chinese patients.

A commentary published alongside the study emphasized its significant implications. The findings provide strong data support for government health policy formulation on chronic respiratory diseases, academic bronchiectasis research, and the development of targeted treatments for Chinese patients by pharmaceutical companies.

Professor XU Jinfu is the first author and corresponding author of the study. The co-corresponding authors include Professor QU Jieming from Ruijin Hospital Affiliated with the School of Medicine of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Professor James Chalmers from the Division of Respiratory Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Dundee, UK. Doctoral student ZHENG Huizhen from Tongji University and 15 experts are listed as co-first authors.

Paper link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(24)00364-3/fulltext

Comment link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(24)00373-4/abstract