Fig. 2

Effect of colonization of Haemophilus influenzae on the risk of exacerbation of bronchiectasis. The lines indicate Kaplan-Meier curves assessing the risk of exacerbation after diagnosis. Solid lines indicate patients with Haemophilus influenzae colonization, while dashed lines indicate patients without colonization. Compared to patients without colonization, patients with Haemophilus influenzae colonization had higher risk of (a) any exacerbation, defined as worsening of respiratory symptoms such as cough, increased sputum, or requiring antibiotics or hospitalization (p < 0.001) and (b) mild exacerbation requiring prescription of oral antibiotics from an outpatient clinic (p = 0.010). However, no difference was observed regarding (c) severe exacerbation requiring hospitalization or emergency room visits (p = 0.510)