Rhino-bronchial syndrome in children: pathogenic correlations and clinical-experimental aspects.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims at defining the incidence of rhino-bronchial syndrome (RBS) in children in order both to verify the influence of nasal obstructions on the disease and to determine therapeutic strategies which may cure the syndrome effectively at its early stage.


METHODS
The investigation includes 128 non-allergic children with obstructive disorders (adenoid hypertrophy, septal deviation, etc.) and rhino-sinus inflammations associated with bronchopulmonary diseases (asthma, chronic cough, bronchopulmonary infections). Medical and/or surgical treatment was chosen in consideration of the type and entity of the patients' main nasal pathology. At least 1 year follow-up was provided for each case to establish the improvement in the disorders affecting both the lower and upper airways. The results were statistically assessed.


RESULTS
Medical and mainly surgical treatment always cured the upper airways disorders in patients with chronic nasal obstruction and rhino-sinus inflammation. Improvement of bronchopulmonary disease was reported in about half of the patients (49.4%). Statistically significant results were obtained only in the group with recurrent bronchopulmonary infections (80.9%, p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The study confirms that RBS may be quite frequent in childhood. This disorder has a multifactorial pathogenesis prevalently due to nasal obstruction and rhino-sinus infections. In the population studied, among the lower airways disorders, only infective bronchopulmonary inflammation showed a significant correlation in the assessment between lower and upper airways disorders. In order to prevent the progression of the syndrome to serious pathologic events of the lower airways, a prompt and effective treatment of children's nasal disorders is thus recommended.
Cassano
Michele
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Bari, Via F. Crispi 34/C, 70123 Bari, Italy. michcass@tiscali.it
Cassano
Pasquale
P
Luigi
Mappa
M
Gelardi
Matteo
M
Farràs
Aline Castelante
AC
Fiorella
Maria Luisa
ML
D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*