Bronchitis physical examination

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Seyedmahdi Pahlavani, M.D. [2]; Nate Michalak, B.A.

Bronchitis Main page
Patient Information
Overview
Causes
Classification Acute bronchitis Chronic bronchitis
Differential Diagnosis

Overview

Physical examination often reveals signs of airflow narrowing and irritation, which consists of the following: cough with or without sputum, wheezing, and prolonged expiratory phase. Abnormal breathing sounds, such as rhonchi and rales, are common findings in bronchitis.

Physical Examination

• Common physical examination findings of acute bronchitis are non specific and includes:

1. Fever
2. Prolonged expiration
3. Wheezing due to bronchospasm and reduced FEV1 has been shown in up to 40% of patients
4. Rhonchi
5. Rales

• Common physical examination findings of chronic bronchitis can be cyanosis, tachypnea, use of accessory respiratory muscles, paradoxical indrawing of lower intercostal spaces (known as the Hoover sign), elevated jugular venous pulse, and peripheral edema. In pulmonary examination, barrel chest (emphysema), wheezing, hyperresonance, rales, and rhonchi may be found. Blue bloaters, are plethoric (red face/cheeks due to a polycythemia secondary to chronic hypoxia) and cyanotic (due to decreased hemoglobin saturation) seen in advanced stages of disease.