Gender differences in clinical characteristics of patients with non‐cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in different age groups in northern China

Introduction Patient gender has clinical and prognostic implications in non‐cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, yet the potential effect of gender on clinical characteristics of patients with non‐cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis is still unclear. Objectives This study aimed to investigate the gender differences in clinical characteristics of patients with bronchiectasis in different age groups in northern China. Methods A total of 777 patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis were retrospectively included in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital and divided into two groups by gender: the male group and the female group. Each group was then subdivided into two according to their age (≤65 and >65 years). Gender differences in clinical characteristics were compared in all patients with bronchiectasis in the two age groups, respectively. Results A total of 777 bronchiectasis patients were included. Of these patients, the prevalence of female non‐smokers was substantially higher than that of male non‐smokers (94.0% vs. 36.8%). There were gender differences in etiology of bronchiectasis, with more post‐measles and connective tissue disease in females (p = 0.006 and 0.002 separately) and more chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in males (p