ADiagnosis
Bronchitis may be suspected in patients with an acute respiratory infection with cough; yet, because many more serious diseases of the lower respiratory tract cause cough, bronchitis must be considered a diagnosis of exclusion.
Studies that may be helpful include the following:
-Complete blood count (CBC) with differential
-Procalcitonin levels (to distinguish bacterial from nonbacterial infections)
-Sputum cytology (if the cough is persistent)
-Blood culture (if bacterial superinfection is suspected)
-Chest radiography (if the patient is elderly or physical findings suggest pneumonia)
-Bronchoscopy (to exclude foreign body aspiration, tuberculosis, tumors, and other chronic diseases)
-Influenza tests
-Spirometry
-Laryngoscopy (to exclude epiglottitis)