Biological Determinants of Sputum Rheology in Chronic Airway Diseases

Secondarily, this study aims to compare rheology parameters between different chronic airway disease sub-populations.

Inclusion criteria

• Affiliate with or beneficiary of the French national single-payer health insurance system
• Patient capable of spontaneous mucus expectoration
• Consulting or hospitalized at the study centre

Inclusion criteria

for the Asthma Group

• Never- or former-smoker (<10 pack-years)
• Medical history compatible with asthma
• Reversible post-brochodilator (or post-corticosteroid test) ventilatory obstruction (ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second : forced vital capacity < 70%) or significant variation in respiratory function -- OR -- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness demonstrated during a broncho-provocation test

Inclusion criteria

for the COPD Group

• Current- or former-smokers (>10 pack years)
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease according to GOLD criteria

Inclusion criteria

for the Bronchiectasis Group

• Presence of bronchiectasis on computed tomography scan
• Cystic fibrosis has been ruled out

Exclusion criteria

• Patient expresses opposition to the protocol
• Breast feeding or pregnant
• Metastatic neoplastic disease
• Other active pulmonary disease (tuberculosis, interstitial lung disease)
• Recent psychiatric disorder (in the past year and documented via a specialist consult)
• Consumption of illicit drugs or alcoholism
• Patients in an exclusion period determined by another study
• Patients under any type of legal guardianship
• Prisoners
• Impossible to correctly inform the patient
• Does not fluently read French
• Emergency situations