Can Acute Bronchitis Lead To Asthma?

[kyedors]

I have had about 4 bouts of acute bronchitis and the symptoms are exactly like that of my asthmatic cousin, but the doctors always diagnosis bronchitis and not asthma. can it lead to full blown asthma?

[National Jewish Health]

It is sometimes difficult to distinguish acute bronchitis from asthma.  Bronchitis is often infectious, bacterial or viral, and associated with purulent sputum.  Asthma can be worsened by superimposed infection, but even then, the mucus is often clear.  If you are a smoker, that would explain recurrent, acute bronchitis.  If not, it would be appropriate to ask your doctor what is precipitating the bouts of acute bronchitis.  Considerations would include cystic fibrosis (CF), bronchiectasis without CF, nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection of the lungs and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) in response to something in your environment.

You may have asthma and, in any event, should be tested for it with pre and post-bronchodilator pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and a methacholine challenge.  If there is any hint of asthma, a trial of anti-asthmatic medicines should be considered.