Integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine strategies for the treatment of bronchiectasis: a comprehensive review

Bronchiectasis is a complex and heterogeneous disease with various etiologies and clinical manifestations. While Western medicine (WM) primarily focuses on infection control, symptom management, and airway clearance techniques, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) adopts a holistic strategy aimed at systemic regulation and immune modulation through herbal formulae and acupuncture. The integration of TCM and WM offers a comprehensive therapeutic framework that targets both clinical manifestations and the underlying pathophysiology. This review systematically outlines current WM treatment strategies, such as antibiotic therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, and surgical interventions. The TCM treatment principles, including individualized syndrome differentiation and treatment, specific TCM formulae, and acupuncture therapies, are detailed. This study further synthesizes clinical evidence demonstrating that integrated TCM-WM therapy not only significantly alleviates symptoms and improves lung function but also enhances immune regulation and quality of life. This combined strategy not only improves clinical outcomes but also enhances patients' quality of life, which provides a more personalized and multidimensional paradigm to manage bronchiectasis. Future research should focus on optimizing integrated protocols, rigorous randomized controlled trials, and exploring novel therapeutic targets to consolidate the evidence base for this synergistic model.