[이데일리 이순용 기자] “Today, the fine dust concentration will remain ‘very bad’. Don’t forget to wear a KF94 mask when going out… .” At some point, to be precise, after 2015.
Recently, air pollution caused by fine dust is threatening our respiratory health. Fear caused by fine dust is not just a story of yesterday and today. There is also a report that 18,200 people died from respiratory diseases derived from air pollutants in Korea alone in 2015 (Report from the US Institute of Health Impact). The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) even predicted that Korea would rank first among OECD countries in 2060 due to a significant increase in premature deaths caused by fine dust and ozone (2016).
Choi Joon-young, a professor of respiratory medicine at Catholic University of Korea Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, said, “The number of patients complaining of respiratory diseases such as bronchiectasis is increasing due to air pollution, etc. It can prevent complications such as lung disease and pneumonia.”
◇ If the bronchi are not restored, they appear… Caused by lung infection
Bronchiectasis refers to a condition in which bronchi are permanently and abnormally stretched and cannot return to their original state due to the destruction of the muscle and elastic components of the bronchial wall. Bronchiectasis is an inflammatory reaction that continues after the onset of the disease, and there is a high possibility of worsening the disease and causing complications. In particular, when the inflammation penetrates deep into the alveoli, severe hemoptysis, pneumonia, metastatic lung abscess, empyema, and pulmonary heart can occur.
Although the exact cause of bronchiectasis is not yet known, it is known that various causes such as pulmonary infection, airway obstruction, humoral immunosuppression, and rheumatic disease have an effect.
First, lung infections caused by viruses, pulmonary tuberculosis, measles, or whooping cough are commonly known infectious causes of bronchiectasis. In particular, the measles and whooping cough suffered as a child are highly likely to develop into bronchiectasis even in adulthood. Airway obstruction is also pointed out as one of the main causes of obstruction of the lung tissue by the presence of foreign substances in the bronchus or airway or by the lymph gland tissue swollen due to inflammation. In addition, if the immunoglobulin level is lower than that of normal people, continuous lung infection occurs due to reduced immunity, which can lead to bronchiectasis. In addition, patients with rheumatoid arthritis cause bronchiectasis as a complication as the disease progresses.
In addition, if the cilia, which make dust or bacteria from the outside, such as primary ciliary dysfunction, become sputum and discharge them, are damaged, causing inflammation and developing into bronchiectasis.
Professor Choi Jun-young said, “Bronchiectasis is a condition in which the bronchial tubes begin to deform, and it is not easy to solve it with cough medicine and cold medicine. This is because the enlarged bronchi are not contracted and remain in a deformed state.
◇If coughing, phlegm, hemoptysis, etc. continues for more than a month, it is suspected
The main symptoms of bronchiectasis are chronic cough, sputum, and hemoptysis. Some people have these symptoms at the same time, but there are many cases where only one or two of these symptoms persist. If a cold-like condition persists for more than a month, bronchiectasis should be suspected. Symptoms gradually worsen over months or years.
If the symptoms worsen, it may develop to the point where it is difficult to fall asleep while lying down, and severe phlegm and chronic cough cause great inconvenience in daily life. The bronchial tubes may be destroyed and hemoptysis may continue. Cough and phlegm are easily mistaken for common cold symptoms, but if a large amount of phlegm comes out or the cough lasts for a long time, it is highly likely to be bronchiectasis. A chronic bacterial infection may produce sputum with a rather bad odor. Some patients with exacerbation of bronchiectasis complain of shortness of breath and chest pain. Every time I breathe, I often complain of shortness of breath or chest pain.
The symptom of discharging sputum mixed with blood along with coughing is called hemoptysis, which is one of the common symptoms of bronchiectasis and is usually mild. However, caution is required as some patients may excrete a large amount of hemoptysis.
Professor Choi Jun-young said, “To prevent bronchiectasis, it is necessary to minimize exposure in places with severe air pollution, maintain appropriate temperature and humidity, and avoid sudden temperature changes or smoking.”