Lay summary
Bronchiectasis is a debilitating chronic respiratory condition characterised by repeated chest infections and intense airway inflammation. Remarkably no treatments have been licensed worldwide for the treatment of bronchiectasis.
Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in many foods (e.g. grapes, berries, nuts). It has been shown to have beneficial anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects in laboratory and clinical studies.
We plan to undertake a large, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of oral resveratrol supplementation in bronchiectasis but several feasibility issues need to be addressed first. The main aim of our study is to determine if resveratrol improves key markers of inflammation in patients with bronchiectasis, but the study will also assess its antimicrobial and antioxidant effects, the optimal dose to use, and the safety of high dose treatment.
Potential benefits, if resveratrol is shown to be effective, include reduced exacerbation frequency, improved quality of life, and reduced healthcare utilisation and associated costs.