Bronchiectasis (not related to cystic fibrosis) is a chronic lung disease caused by a range of etiologies but characterized by abnormal airway dilatation, recurrent respiratory symptoms, impaired quality of life and reduced life expectancy. Patients typically experience episodes of chronic wet cough and recurrent pulmonary exacerbations requiring hospitalization. Early diagnosis and management of childhood bronchiectasis are essential to prevent respiratory decline, optimize quality of life, minimize pulmonary exacerbations, and potentially reverse bronchial disease. Disease monitoring potentially allows for (1) the early detection of acute exacerbations, facilitating timely intervention, (2) tracking the rate of disease progression for prognostic purposes, and (3) quantifying the response to therapies. This narrative review article will discuss methods for monitoring disease progression in children with bronchiectasis, including lung imaging, respiratory function, patient-reported outcomes, respiratory exacerbations, sputum biomarkers, and nutritional outcomes.

支气管扩张症（与囊性纤维化无关）是一种由多种病因引起的慢性肺部疾病，其特征是气道异常扩张、反复出现呼吸道症状、生活质量受损和预期寿命缩短。患者通常会出现慢性湿咳发作和需要住院的反复肺部恶化。儿童支气管扩张的早期诊断和管理对于预防呼吸衰退、优化生活质量、最大限度地减少肺部恶化和可能逆转支气管疾病至关重要。疾病监测可能允许 (1) 早期发现急性加重，促进及时干预，(2) 跟踪疾病进展速度以预测预后，以及 (3) 量化对治疗的反应。