Work

Narrative Review: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Clinical Management of Chronic Bronchitis

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: Chronic bronchitis is defined clinically as persistent cough-sputum production for at least three months per year over two consecutive years, representing a symptomatic airway phenotype that may occur in isolation or co-exist with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Importantly, chronic bronchitis and COPD are not synonymous, and many clinical data are derived from COPD patients with chronic-bronchitis phenotype and cannot be fully generalized to isolated chronic bronchitis. This narrative review synthesized publications retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and CNKI published between January 2015 and August 2026. Relevant peer-reviewed original articles, meta-analyses and systematic reviews were included after title-abstract screening and full-text evaluation. Globally, this condition shows prominent regional and population-specific epidemiological disparities. Smoking, environmental exposure, and host-related factors are core risk factors. Its pathophysiology is driven by chronic airway inflammation, airway remodeling, immune-metabolic disturbance, and genetic susceptibility. Current clinical evaluation integrates imaging examinations, investigational and routine biomarkers, and pulmonary-function testing. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures together with phenotype-oriented individualized strategies can alleviate disease burden, yet high-quality evidence specifically targeting isolated chronic bronchitis remains limited. Emerging approaches such as CFTR modulators and biomarker-guided precision therapies show preliminary research promise, but they are not ready for widespread routine clinical application at present. Major unresolved uncertainties remain regarding validated clinical biomarkers, reproducible genetic risk markers, and optimal long-term monitoring strategies for isolated chronic bronchitis.

Source: International Journal of General Medicine

DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s625641

Authors: Shi Gao, Siqi Zhao

Institutions: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research

Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,836