BRONCHIECTASIS IN CHILDREN

Key words: Bronchiectasis, Chronic productive cough, Cystic fibrosis

Little is known about the prevalence of bronchiectasis (BR) in paediatric age. However, outside the case of cystic fibrosis (CF), they seem to be rare. The BR can be localised or disseminated. For the former, the most common etiology is post-infectious (adenovirus, mycoplasma, pertussis, tuberculosis). Most of the latter are again post-infectious, other causes being CF, the immotile cilia syndrome, immunological deficiencies and congenital malformations of the lungs. The cause remains undetermined in 40-50 percent of cases (idiopathic forms). BR must be suspected when a productive cough persits several weeks from an acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) or in the presence of repeated ALRI, particularly if localised in the same area. X-ray may not be sufficient and CAT scan is often required to identify BR. Early diagnosis is important to increase the efficacy of treatment, although for many of the proposed treatments (physiotherapy, antibiotics, oral or nebulised steroids) conclusive evidence of effectiveness is lacking.