What Causes Chronic Bronchitis?

Chronic bronchitis is a disease characterized by cough and sputum for at least 3 consecutive months in a year for more than two successive years.

Causes

Smoking: Smoking causes bronco constriction, sluggish ciliary movement, increases airway resistance, hypertrophy of the mucous, glands, increased number of goblet cells and hyper secretion of mucous. Though smoking is said to be most importance cause, yet only 12 to 15 percentages of the smokers develop COPD.

Atmospheric pollution: Industrial and domestic smoke as well as sulphur -dioxide are main causes of air pollution which are responsible of chronic bronchial irritation and increased resistance to the airflow.

Infection: The role of infection is uncertain, but it appears that once it develops chronic irritation is maintained and progresses to emphysema. The main organisms are hemophilus influenza and streptococcus pneumonia. Mycoplasma pneumonia may also be involved.

Occupation: Coal miners and industrial workers are often exposed to dust and fumes which may irritate the bronchial tree.

Familial and genetic abnormalities associated with alpha anti-protease deficiency may also be present.

Types

Simple chronic bronchitis: Here sputum is mucoid.

Chronic recurrent mucopurulent bronchitis: There is muccopurulent sputum present in the absence of localized suppurlative disease.

Chronic Obstructive Bronchitis: Air way obstruction is dominant

Chronic asthmatic bronchitis: There is long continuing cough and sputum with late onset of wheeze.

SYMPTOMS

Cough with Expectoration: It starts as attacks of "winter cough" and "smoker's cough", gradually increasing severity and duration. The expectoration is mucoid or mucopurulent depending on the presence of infection.

Shortness of breath due to air way obstruction, broncho-spasm and in long standing cases due to development of emphysema.