DISEASE DEFINITIONS
There is a clear need for universal definitions 
of disease features in bronchiectasis to guide clinicians and researchers in clinical research.
Clear definitions in bronchiectasis would allow for:
Accurate Diagnosis – Bronchiectasis present with diverse symptoms (e.g., chronic cough, sputum production, and recurrent infections) and can overlap with other respiratory conditions, therefore standardised disease definitions help differentiate between bronchiectasis and other respiratory conditions, like COPD or asthma.
Consistent Disease Classification – Clear criteria ensure that patients are classified correctly regardless of which respiratory professional they see or which country they reside in, aiding in understanding different phenotypes and disease severity.
Guided Treatment and Management – Precise definitions allow for appropriate treatment stratification, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Standardized Research and Clinical Trials – Uniform definitions ensure that studies on bronchiectasis use comparable data, facilitating better interpretation of results and development of new therapies.
Enhanced Communication – Healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers benefit from a shared language to discuss and address the disease effectively.
Better Prognostic Assessment – Defined clinical features help predict disease progression, complications, and patient outcomes, supporting better long-term care planning.
EMBARC has worked hard to create a consensus definition for bronchiectasis exacerbations and consensus criteria for defining COPD in bronchiectasis, and continues to work on developing more definitions for use in bronchiectasis.