ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN BRONCHIECTASIS SYMPTOMS AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES: PROTOCOL FOR A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT
Author(s)
Robin Jha, MPharm1, Kathrin Fischer, BA, MSc, PhD1, Paranjoy Saharia, MSc2, Vijay Sharma, MPharm2, Conor Hickey, BA, MSc3, Akshay Kharat, PhD4, Ashok Jha, MBA, MSc1.
1Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany, 2Lumanity, Gurugram, India, 3Lumanity, London, United Kingdom, 4Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA.
1Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany, 2Lumanity, Gurugram, India, 3Lumanity, London, United Kingdom, 4Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA.
OBJECTIVES: Bronchiectasis is a chronic, progressive respiratory disease associated with substantial morbidity and healthcare burden, with a growing body of evidence on the relationship between symptom profiles and key clinical outcomes. This study is designed to identify, collate, and synthesize published evidence on associations between bronchiectasis symptoms and the risk of pulmonary exacerbations, hospitalization, disease progression, and mortality, and quantify these associations where feasible by symptom type, etiology, endotype, and comorbidity profile.
METHODS: A systematic literature review (SLR) is being conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. Searches of Embase/MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, bronchiectasis registry publications, and bibliography checks cover the period from database inception to 2026, while conference sources are searched from 2023 to 2026. Eligible studies include randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, single-arm studies, and observational studies in adults with bronchiectasis. Symptoms are assessed using patient-reported, clinician-reported, or study-defined measures. Outcomes include pulmonary exacerbations, hospitalization, disease progression, and mortality. Screening, extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment use independent reviewer processes. Risk of bias is assessed using study-design-appropriate tools, with assessments verified by a second reviewer. Meta-analysis feasibility is assessed based on the evidence base of studies identified by the SLR, with consideration of heterogeneity in the patient populations investigated and outcomes reported.
RESULTS: Planned outputs include a PRISMA flow diagram, structured evidence map, summary of study and population characteristics, risk-of-bias summary, and a narrative synthesis of symptom-outcome associations.
CONCLUSIONS: This protocol outlines a rigorous and reproducible approach to identifying and synthesizing evidence on bronchiectasis, ensuring a robust foundation for future comparative effectiveness and health economic evaluations.
METHODS: A systematic literature review (SLR) is being conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. Searches of Embase/MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, bronchiectasis registry publications, and bibliography checks cover the period from database inception to 2026, while conference sources are searched from 2023 to 2026. Eligible studies include randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, single-arm studies, and observational studies in adults with bronchiectasis. Symptoms are assessed using patient-reported, clinician-reported, or study-defined measures. Outcomes include pulmonary exacerbations, hospitalization, disease progression, and mortality. Screening, extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment use independent reviewer processes. Risk of bias is assessed using study-design-appropriate tools, with assessments verified by a second reviewer. Meta-analysis feasibility is assessed based on the evidence base of studies identified by the SLR, with consideration of heterogeneity in the patient populations investigated and outcomes reported.
RESULTS: Planned outputs include a PRISMA flow diagram, structured evidence map, summary of study and population characteristics, risk-of-bias summary, and a narrative synthesis of symptom-outcome associations.
CONCLUSIONS: This protocol outlines a rigorous and reproducible approach to identifying and synthesizing evidence on bronchiectasis, ensuring a robust foundation for future comparative effectiveness and health economic evaluations.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
SA56
Topic
Study Approaches
Topic Subcategory
Literature Review & Synthesis, Meta-Analysis & Indirect Comparisons
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Respiratory-Related Disorders (Allergy, Asthma, Smoking, Other Respiratory)