Bronchiectasis physical examination

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Hamid Qazi, MD, BSc [2], Saarah T. Alkhairy, M.D.

Overview

The most common signs of bronchiectasis are coarse crackles, rhonchi, and wheezes on auscultation.

The physical exam findings for bronchiectasis are as follows:^[1]

Vital signs are generally within normal limit, but patients with severe disease (massive hemoptysis or sepsis) may have the following vital signs:

Course crackles
- These can be heard in early inspiration and often in the lower lung zones

↑ O'Donnell, Anne E. (2008). "Bronchiectasis". Chest. 134 (4): 815–823. doi:10.1378/chest.08-0776. ISSN 0012-3692.