Acute Bronchitis

1
Acute Bronchitis URI

• Tintinalli Chapter 67

2
Epidemiology

• Acute bronchitis
• Inflammation of large airways
• URI with cough, occasionally with phlegm, not
  caused by pneumonia or chronic bronchitis
• Lasts 1-3 weeks
• 5 of adults annually, peaks in winter months
• 9th most common outpatient dx

3
Pathophysiology

• Viruses influenza A and B, parainfluenza, RSV,
  corona, adeno, rhino
• Bacteria pertussis, mycoplasma, chlamydia
  pneumonia, and legionella

4
Clinical features

• Cough commonly productive
• 1st few days, URI indistinguishable from acute
  bronchitis
• Fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, focal chest pain
• Strongest negative independent predictor is nausea

5
Diagnosis

• Acute cough
• No prior lung disease
• No auscultatory findings suggesting pneumonia
• If dyspnea, can do pulse ox
• If wheezing, can do bedside spirometry

6
Treatment

• Antibiotics have shown no significant
  improvement, unless pertussis is a consideration
• Inhaled bronchodilators if wheezing
• Antitussives
• /- Mucolytics

7
Sources

• Tintinalli, Ch. 67