Bronchial syndrome or bronchial syndromes? Proposal according to the medical diagnosis

Abstract

Introduction: The term syndrome has been used interchangeably with disease, if it corresponds to a single nosological entity, in diagnostic discussions, and in some texts, in bronchial conditions such as acute and chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis and especially bronchial asthma. Objective: To clarify the meaning of bronchial syndrome and its variants according to the medical diagnosis. Method: Qualitative research by means of a review of Semiology books and other texts related to the bronchial syndrome and the main conditions in which it manifests itself. Results: There is terminological ambiguity regarding bronchial syndrome and its variants, and some books do not even include them among the respiratory syndromes. In some texts, bronchial disorders are defined as syndromes while in other texts they are defined as nosological entities: acute and chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and bronchiectasis. The use of bronchial syndrome is proposed, which according to the prevailing etiopathogenesis, will exhibit greater diagnostic specificity in two major sub-syndromes: the bronchitic and the obstructive bronchial. Conclusions: Bronchial syndrome expresses an affection of the bronchial tree with two major sub-syndromes of greater diagnostic specificity: the bronchitic (acute or chronic) and the obstructive bronchial (diffuse - bronchospastic or bronchostenotic - or localized). Cough and expectoration predominate in the former and dyspnea in the latter, both with hoarse, wheezing and with subcrepitant rales. To consider bronchial asthma as a syndrome or disease is a matter of focus. Defining bronchiectasis as a syndrome requires the presence of the imaging sign: bronchial dilatation. The upper airway obstructive syndrome is a syndromic entity with its own characteristics.

Keywords

• síndrome bronquial: bronquitis aguda
• bronquitis crónica
• asma bronquial
• obstrucción bronquial
• bronquiectasia.