Acute bronchitis: issues and options

Introduction. Acute bronchitis (AB) is a very common disease of viral etiology. In real-life practice, the treatment of AB is associated with widespread irrational antibiotic prescribing, which requires the overall implementation of patient management algorithms comprising the identification of biomarkers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein. Mucoactive therapy remains the mainstay of treatment for patients with AB, however the debate over the most effective treatments continues to this day. The emergence of new original drugs, in particular, Erdosteine, expands efficient therapeutic opportunities for AB.

Aim. To analyse the clinical effectiveness of the use of the mucoactive agent Erdostein (Edomari) vs routine use of mucolytics in AB.

Materials and methods. We reviewed the management of 60 patients with AB, 30 of which received Erdosteine (Group 1), the remaining 30 patients received standard mucoactive therapy (Acetylcysteine, Ambroxol, etc.). The following variables were assessed: the time required for reversal of all symptoms of the disease expressed as a total BSS scale score (Bronchitis Severity Score), the time required for reversal of productive cough that needs the use of mucolytics, the period of temporary disability, and levels of C-reactive protein.

Results and discussion. The average CRP level at disease onset was 18.4 ± 8.2 mg/L. The average WBC count was 7.8 ± 3.5 (×109/l). In AB, the duration of productive cough in the Erdosteine group was 5.7 ± 1.4 days, while in group 2 (real-life practice) the duration of mucolytics therapy was 7.1 ± 1.3 days (p < 0.05). The total BSS scale score in group 1 on day 7 was 3.2 ± 0.9, in group 2 – 3.5 ± 0.9. The reversal of physical signs of AB required 5.3 ± 1.2 days in the Erdosteine group, and 5.7 ± 1.4 days in group 2. The period of temporary disability in group 1 was 8.7 ± 1.2 days, in group 2 – 9.1 ± 1.3 days.

Conclusion. Thus, we collected objective data supporting the possibility of using C-reactive protein test in deciding the issue of antimicrobial therapy prescribing. The CRP level observed (18.4 ± 8.2 mg/l) indicated a viral etiology of AB. The use of original Erdosteine (Edomari) in the treatment of acute bronchitis is estimated as highly effective. The average duration of effective mucolytics therapy in AB is 5–7 days.

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