A descriptive study of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in a pediatric population from central and southern Italy.
BACKGROUND
Non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis is now identified more often than in the past.


OBJECTIVE
It was the aim of this study to assess the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) localization and extent of bronchiectasis and to determine whether asthma status, atopy and bronchiectasis distribution are associated with the etiology of bronchiectasis.


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed clinical, laboratory, functional and HRCT data of 105 children with non-CF bronchiectasis at 2 tertiary respiratory units in Italy. Forty cases had bronchiectasis associated with ongoing underlying conditions, namely primary ciliary dyskinesia, primary immunodeficiency or aspiration.


RESULTS
Age at the onset of chronic cough/wheeze and at the first X-ray-documented pneumonia as well as atopy prevalence were lower in patients with ongoing underlying conditions than in those without (p = 0.049, p = 0.003 and p = 0.0008, respectively). In most cases, bronchiectasis was multilobar, and a mean of 2.5 lobes were involved. The right side was more often involved than the left (88 vs. 70%; p = 0.002), and the upper lobes were relatively spared (p < 0.000001). Right lung involvement and multilobar disease were more prevalent in children younger than 2 years at first pneumonia (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical information combined with laboratory data provides additional insights into the characteristics of non-CF bronchiectasis in a large population of Italian children. This study highlights the need for longitudinal evaluations, also using HRCT, of severe and non-resolving pneumonia in children.
Department of Pediatrics, Federico II University, Naples, Italy. santamar@unina.it
Francesca
F
Santamaria
Silvia
S
Montella
Massimo
M
Pifferi
Vincenzo
V
Ragazzo
Sara
S
De Stefano
Nicoletta
N
De Paulis
Marco
M
Maglione
Attilio L
AL
Boner
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications*; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed