Chronic productive cough in the context of exacerbations of airway disease can be associated with positive sputum cultures for fungi, in particular Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida spp., suggesting fungal bronchitis, a condition not widely recognised, as a possible cause for the exacerbation. Our objective was to determine the response to antifungal therapy in patients with suspected fungal bronchitis. Retrospective analysis of data extracted from case records of patients under secondary care respiratory clinics who had been treated with triazole therapy for suspected fungal bronchitis between 2010–2017. Primary outcome was lung function response after 1 month of treatment. Nineteen patients with fungal bronchitis due to A. fumigatus and 12 patients due to Candida spp., were included in the study. Most of the patients, particularly in the Aspergillus group, had allergic fungal airway disease on a background of asthma. All but one of the patients in each group were recorded as showing clinical improvement with antifungal therapy. In the majority of patients this was reflected in an improvement in lung function. Aspergillus group: FEV₁ (1.44 ± 0.8 L vs 1.6 ± 0.8 L: p < 0.02), FVC (2.49 ± 1.08 L vs 2.8 ± 1.1 L: p = 0.01), and PEF (260 ± 150L/min vs 297 ± 194ml/min: p < 0.02). Candida group: FEV₁ (1.6 ± 0.76 L vs 2.0 ± 0.72 L: p < 0.004), FVC (2.69 ± 0.91 L vs 3.13 ± 0.7 L: p = 0.05), and PEF (271± 139L/min vs 333 ± 156 L/min: p = 0.01). Side effects of treatment were common, but resolved on stopping treatment. This service improvement project supports the idea that fungal bronchitis is a distinct clinical entity which is responsive to treatment. Controlled clinical trials to confirm the clinical impression that this is relatively common and treatable complication of complex airway disease are required.

在气道疾病恶化的背景下，慢性咳嗽可能与真菌（尤其是烟曲霉和念珠菌属）的痰培养阳性有关，这表明真菌性支气管炎（一种未被广泛认识的疾病）可能是恶化的原因。我们的目标是确定疑似真菌性支气管炎患者对抗真菌治疗的反应。对从 2010 年至 2017 年间因疑似真菌性支气管炎接受三唑类药物治疗的二级护理呼吸诊所患者病例记录中提取的数据进行回顾性分析。主要结果是治疗 1 个月后的肺功能反应。19 例由烟曲霉引起的真菌性支气管炎患者和 12 例由于念珠菌属，包括在研究中。大多数患者，尤其是曲霉菌组，在哮喘背景下患有过敏性真菌气道疾病。每组中除一名患者外的所有患者都被记录为显示抗真菌治疗的临床改善。在大多数患者中，这反映在肺功能的改善上。曲霉菌组：FEV ₁（1.44 ± 0.8 L 对 1.6 ± 0.8 L：p < 0.02）、FVC（2.49 ± 1.08 L 对 2.8 ± 1.1 L：p = 0.01）和 PEF（260 ± 150L/min 对 94ml） /分钟：p < 0.02）。念珠菌组：FEV ₁（1.6 ± 0.76 L 对 2.0 ± 0.72 L：p < 0.004）、FVC（2.69 ± 0.91 L 对 3.13 ± 0.7 L：p = 0.05）和 PEF（271± 139L/min 对 333 ±：156 L/min = 0.01）。治疗的副作用很常见，但在停止治疗后解决。该服务改进项目支持真菌性支气管炎是一种对治疗有反应的独特临床实体的观点。需要对照临床试验来确认临床印象，即这是复杂气道疾病的相对常见且可治疗的并发症。