Acute bronchitis

Question 1

Disease course

Answer 1

Usually resolves before 3 weeks

25% still have cough after this

Question 2

Leading cause

Answer 2

Viral

80% occur in autumn/ winter

Question 3

Presentation

Answer 3

Cough (may or may not be productive)

Sore throat

Rhinorrhoea

Wheeze

Question 4

Chest examination

Answer 4

Majority normal

Low-grade fever

Wheeze

Question 5

Differentiating from pneumonia

Answer 5

History: sputum/ wheeze/ breathlessness absent in bronchitis

Examination: no focal chest signs, absent systemic features

Question 6

Investigations

Answer 6

Typically clinical diagnosis

CRP may be used to guide whether antibiotic therapy indicated

Question 7

Management

Answer 7

Analgesia

Good fluid intake

Consider antibiotics

Question 8

Antibiotics

Answer 8

If systemically unwell

Have pre-existing co-morbidities

Have CRP of 20-100 consider delayed prescription

CRP>100 offer antibiotics immediately

Doxycyline first line (cannot be used in children or pregnant women) or amoxicillin