A prospective UK study to evaluate the bronchiectasis impact measure in patients with bronchiectasis: data from the EMBARC-BRIDGE study

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Various patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures are available for use in bronchiectasis clinical research. The bronchiectasis impact measure (BIM) is a visual analogue scale-based PRO that assesses the impact of multiple individual symptoms. <bold>Aim:</bold> To determine the relationship of the BIM with disease severity and other patient outcomes in bronchiectasis. <bold>Methods:</bold> The BIM was measured within the EMBARC-BRIDGE study, a prospective European cohort of patients with CT confirmed bronchiectasis. The BIM was performed at baseline in patients enrolled in the UK. Exacerbations during follow-up were modelled using negative binomial regression. <bold>Results:</bold> 324 patients were included in the analysis. BIM domains had strong correlations with the Bronchiectasis Health Questionnaire (BHQ) and Quality of Life Bronchiectasis (QOL-B) respiratory symptom domain. Bronchiectasis severity index was significantly associated with BIM breathlessness, tiredness, activity, exacerbations, and overall health. FEV1 was significantly associated with BIM cough, sputum production, breathlessness, tiredness, activity, control, exacerbations and overall health. Severity of cough (RR 1.08, 95%CI 1.01-1.15 per 1 point increase), daily activity (RR 1.09, 95%CI 1.02-1.16), control (RR 1.07, 95%CI 1.01-1.14) were associated with future exacerbation risk. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> The BIM shows clear relationships with severity of disease and symptom severity is associated with future exacerbations.