TY - JOUR T1 - A single isolation of <em>pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> predicts poor quality of life and increased exacerbation frequency in adult bronchiectasis JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA363 VL - 46 IS - suppl 59 SP - PA363 AU - James Hill AU - Duncan Renton AU - Hani Abo-Leyah AU - Megan Crichton AU - Simon Finch AU - Thomas Fardon AU - James Chalmers Y1 - 2015/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA363.abstract N2 - Introduction: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) colonisation is associated with poor lung function and mortality. The clinical implications of PA isolation without "colonisation" are not known. We compared patients who cleared the bacteria to those who were never infected.Methods: Prospective observational cohort study of adult bronchiectasis recruited at a tertiary referral centre in the UK. Patients were followed-up for 3 years. Quality of life was assessed using the St.Georges Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Chronic PA was defined as &gt;2 sequential samples &gt;3 months apart. Isolated PA was defined as single or multiple isolates of PA with subsequent &gt;1 negative PA culture.Results: 44 patients were chronically colonised with PA, 42 patients had isolated PA with confirmed clearance and 200 had never grown PA.Chronic PA but not isolated PA was associated with a higher risk of hospital admission (aHR 4.9 95% CI 2.9-8.2, p&lt;0.0001), a worse quality of life, more frequent exacerbations and greater radiological severity. Mortality was not significantly different.Isolated PA was associated with a 9 point worsening of the SGRQ and a doubling of exacerbation risk (table 1, p&lt;0.0001). Never PAIsolated PAChronic PAp-valueLobes involved3.0 (1.6)3.0 (1.5)4.4 (1.4)&lt;0.0001SGRQ40.2 (20.5)50.0 (21.3)58.3 (21.0)&lt;0.0001Exacerbations (per year)1.6 (1.4)2.9 (2.4)3.1 (2.2)&lt;0.0001Mean value given with Standard deviation in bracketsResultsThere was a trend to greater airway inflammation but data were not statistically significant.Conclusion: PA infection, even if transient, is associated with worse quality of life and more frequent exacerbations at follow-up. ER -