RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 The impact of acute air pollution fluctuations on non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis pulmonary exacerbations: A case-crossover analysis JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP PA364 DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA364 VO 46 IS suppl 59 A1 Pieter Goeminne A1 Pallavi Bedi A1 Michal Kicinski A1 Lauren Richardson A1 Kees De Hoogh A1 Ben Nemery A1 Tim Nawrot A1 Michael Loebinger A1 Adam Hill A1 Lieven Dupont YR 2015 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA364.abstract AB Introduction: Previous research has shown that traffic-related chronic air pollution exposure increases risk of death in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB). However the effect of acute air pollution exposure in patients with NCFB remains to be established.Aims: We aimed to establish the effect of acute air pollution fluctuations on NCFB pulmonary exacerbations.Methods: NCFB patients from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, UK, suffering an exacerbation between July 2012 and October 2014 were included in the case-crossover analysis. An exacerbation was defined as the use for antibiotic treatment due to respiratory deterioration. We linked these data with concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 mm (PM2.5) and ozone on the day of the event and on the 2 days prior to the event near each patient's home address.Results: Forty patients (median 68 year, IQR 57-74; 17 male) each had one exacerbation during the study period. Thirty patients had no identifiable cause of their NCFB, 5 had post-infectious NCFB with the remaining five suffering from an auto-immune disease. The mean FEV1 was 81% (±SD 24%) and four patients had chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization. An increase of 1 µg/m3 of daily mean PM2.5 concentrations was associated with a 10.2% increase in the risk of suffering an exacerbation in the next 24 hours (p=0.02; 95% CI 1.6%-19.7%). We found no evidence of an association between ozone levels and NCFB exacerbations.Conclusion: Ambient concentrations of PM2.5 were associated with a higher risk of exacerbations, suggesting that ambient air pollution affects the health of patients with NCFB.