Bronchitis vs Bronchiectasis: Difference and Comparison

These days, we are seeing quite a few chronic and acute diseases because of air pollution, smoking, hereditary problems, etc.

Similarly, bronchitis and bronchiectasis are lung diseases, and both cause inflammation in the affected area, affecting different areas of the lungs.

One is a permanent type of condition, while another one is temporary. One affects the wall, while the other one affects the bronchi.

Key Takeaways

1. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes that results in coughing and shortness of breath. In contrast, Bronchiectasis is a condition in which the bronchial tubes are permanently damaged, leading to frequent infections.
2. Viral or bacterial infections cause bronchitis, whereas various factors, including genetic disorders and respiratory infections, can cause Bronchiectasis.
3. Bronchitis is a short-term condition that can be treated with medications and lifestyle changes. In contrast, Bronchiectasis is a chronic condition that may require long-term management with antibiotics and other therapies.

Bronchitis vs Bronchiectasis 

Bronchitis is a medical disorder that affects the bronchi and bronchiole, causing the lungs to become swollen and breathing becomes difficult. Bronchiectasis is a permanent medical disorder where the patient has defective airways. This causes the lungs to be expanded, causing lung infections.

Bronchitis is a type of disorder in which the lungs are affected. There are two types of disorders. One is acute, while the other one is chronic.

They affect the bronchi and the bronchiole, which are the larger and smaller airways of the lungs. In this disorder, the bronchi become swollen, and breathing is difficult.

Bronchiectasis is a permanent type of disorder in which the wall of the airways has defected. Due to this, the lungs become broadened and expanded.

This disorder can be due to many causes like cystic fibrosis, HIV, airway blockage, connective tissue disorders, and various lung infections like tuberculosis, pneumonia, whooping cough, or fungal infection.  

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Bronchitis	Bronchiectasis
Definition	Bronchitis is a type of disorder in which bronchi and bronchiole both are affected.	Bronchiectasis is a permanent type of disorder in which the wall of the airways has defected.
Symptoms	Its symptoms include cough and difficulty in breathing.	Its symptoms include cough and pus-like cough, which are considered its main symptoms. Apart from this, patients also have difficulty in breathing, and fever also keeps coming.
Diagnosis	This required X-Ray of the chest.	This one diagnoses by the CT-Scan of the chest.
Cause	Cigarette, coal and cadmium dust, smoke, grain and clay dust, silica dust, and things like isocyanates.	Allergies in bronchopulmonary aspergillosis cause this problem.
Risk Factors	Smoking, flu, various viruses, cystic fibrosis.	Cystic fibrosis, HIV, or allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.

What is Bronchitis?

Bronchitis is a type of disorder that affects the lungs. In this, both bronchi and bronchiole are affected. There are two types- chronic and acute disorders.

Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are both called COPD. COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It varies from person to person.

Chronic bronchitis is caused by harmful substances such as cigarette smoke, which makes breathing difficult for humans and proves fatal for them. It mainly damages the airways and lungs.

In the United States, cigarette smoke is considered the main cause and is disproportionately affecting more than half of Americans. 

Not only cigarettes but other substances cause chronic bronchitis, such as coal and cadmium dust, smoke, grain and clay dust, silica dust, and things like isocyanates that are very harmful to our lungs.

This happens only if you are constantly smoking cigarettes or living in a polluted place.

Acute bronchitis is mainly caused by an infection in which the airways become disturbed and exposed to things like smoking, air pollution, etc. The cells of the bronchi become inflamed, which lasts up to 10 days.

It mainly causes cough and difficulty in breathing, but it does not last long, it is short-lived and does not cause any permanent discomfort.

What is Bronchiectasis?

In Bronchiectasis, the large bronchial tubes in the lungs become dilated and defaced. Bronchiectasis is a permanent type of disorder in which the wall of the airways has defected.

Due to this, the lungs become broadened and expanded.

This disorder can be due to many causes like cystic fibrosis, HIV, airway blockage, connective tissue disorders, and various lung infections like tuberculosis, pneumonia, whooping cough, or fungal infection.  

Its symptoms include cough and pus-like cough, which are considered its main symptoms. Apart from this, patients also have difficulty in breathing, and fever also keeps coming. 

To diagnose this problem, doctors recommend getting a CT scan, which is a physical examination that helps a lot of the patients.

CT scan, which is done in high resolution, is considered important for detecting this condition. In this problem, a part or whole of the lung can be affected.

This problem can also be caused by allergies, including bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, cystic fibrosis, and other problems with the cilia. Pneumonia is known to cause focal bronchiectasis in some cases.

Factors like cystic fibrosis and HIV infection also cause this problem, which cannot be ignored. Allergies in bronchopulmonary aspergillosis cause this problem, which is a risk factor.

Doctors sometimes recommend taking antibiotics, which help clear the airways. Untreated bronchiectasis sometimes leads to death and occurs in places where there is a limited amount of health care.

Main Differences Between Bronchitis and Bronchiectasis

We get confused between Bronchitis and Bronchiectasis because of their similar names and diseases also related to the same body part, the respiratory system, but both are quite different. The distinguishing factor between Bronchitis and Bronchiectasis relations can be summed up on the following grounds:

1. Bronchitis is a type of disorder in which the bronchi and bronchiole are both affected, whereas Bronchiectasis is a type of disorder in which the wall of the airways has defected.
2. Bronchitis is a temporary type of disorder, while bronchiectasis is a permanent type of disorder.
3. Bronchitis is diagnosed by the X-ray of the chest, whereas Bronchiectasis is diagnosed by the high-resolution CT scan of the chest. 
4. Bronchitis symptoms include cough and difficulty in breathing, whereas Bronchiectasis symptoms include cough and pus-like cough, difficulty in breathing, and fever. 
5. Bronchitis is caused by things like cigarettes, coal, cadmium dust, smoke, grain and clay dust, silica dust, and isocyanates, whereas in bronchiectasis, allergy in bronchopulmonary aspergillosis causes this problem. 

References

1. https://thorax.bmj.com/content/57/8/667.short
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012369216525914
3. https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1164/arrd.1966.93.3P1.372