[Bronchopulmonary dysplasia and prematurity. Short-and long-term respiratory changes]. / Displasia broncopulmonar y prematuridad. Evolución respiratoria a corto y a largo plazo.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most frequent chronic lung disease in premature children. With the inclusion of antenatal steroid therapy, surfactant use and novel mechanical ventilation strategies, survival of premature newborns has increased, whereupon the incidence of BPD has not only decreased but has also risen in extremely premature newborns. This has led to a high respiratory morbidity in the first 2-3 years of life, with numerous admissions to hospital and respiratory exacerbations mostly due to viral infections. Although there is a trend towards improvement, during school age and adolescence, respiratory symptoms may persist, due to changes in pulmonary function often showing a lower exercise capacity. Although BPD symptoms are similar to those of asthma, as there is limitation in airflow and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), pathophysiological mechanisms could be different in both diseases. On the other hand, isolated prematurity plays an important role in the child's respiratory pathology, proving that pulmonary function alterations in preterm children are present since the first months of life. A higher respiratory morbidity has also been observed in these children when compared to full-term newborns, not only during the first years of life but also subsequently. In this study, different aspects of chronic respiratory disease associated with prematurity will be analysed, drawing special attention to clinical symptoms, respiratory function changes, BHR and exercise capacity. All these aspects will be reviewed from early childhood until adolescence and young adult age. Similarities and differences between BPD and asthma will also be discussed.

[Diagnosis and treatment guidelines for difficult-to-control asthma in children]. / Guía de diagnóstico y tratamiento del asma de control difícil en el niño.

Children suffering from difficult-to-control asthma (DCA) require frequent appointments with their physician, complex treatment regimes and often admissions to hospital. Less than 5% of the asthmatic population suffer this condition. DCA must be correctly characterised to rule out false causes of DCA and requires making a differential diagnosis from pathologies that mimic asthma, comorbidity, environmental and psychological factors, and analysing the factors to determine poor treatment compliance. In true DCA cases, inflammation studies (exhaled nitric oxide, induced sputum, broncho-alveolar lavage and bronchial biopsy), pulmonary function and other clinical aspects can classify DCA into different phenotypes which could make therapeutic decision-making easier.

[Respiratory morbidity after hospital discharge in premature infants born at < or = 32 weeks gestation with bronchopulmonary dysplasia]. / Morbilidad respiratoria tras el alta hositalaria en prematuros (< or = 32 semanas) con displasia broncopulmonar.

BACKGROUND: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most frequent cause of respiratory morbidity in the first 2 years of life among preterm infants who survive the first 28 days. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate respiratory morbidity in the first 2 years of life in a group of preterm infants born at (32 weeks' gestation with BPD (oxygen requirement at 36 weeks' postconceptional age) by comparing it with that in preterm infants born at (32 weeks without BPD and with a control group of full term infants without neonatal morbidity. To determine whether respiratory morbidity in children with BPD decreases after the age of 2 years. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Group I: preterm children with BPD (n = 29). Group II: preterm children without BPD (n = 29). Group III: children with appropriate gestational age and weight (n = 32). A cross-sectional, descriptive study of the three groups was performed over a 2-year period. In 17 children in group 1, the study was prolonged to the age of 4 years. We analyzed wheezing on at least two occasions, use of inhaled bronchodilators, use of inhaled glucocorticosteroids for more than 6 months, and hospitalization for respiratory illness. The chi-square test and Fischer's exact test were performed. RESULTS: At least one episode of wheezing occurred in 25 children (86.2%) in group I compared with 12 children (41.4%) in group II and 6 (18.8%) in group III. Nineteen children (65.5%) in group I and none in the remaining two groups received treatment with inhaled glucocorticosteroids for more than 6 months (p < 0.001). Inhaled bronchodilators were used by 25 children (86.2%) in group I compared with 12 (41.4%) in group II and 6 (18.8%) in the control group (p < 0.001). Twelve children (41.3%) in group I were hospitalized for respiratory illness compared with 8 (27.6%) in group II. There were no admissions among the control group. None of the children with BPD who received prophylaxis with palivizumab contracted respiratory syncytial virus infection. Seventeen children with BPD were evaluated until the age of 4 years. Episodes of wheezing decreased from 88.2% in the first year to 41 % between the third and fourth years (p < 0.001). Treatment with inhaled glucocorticosteroids for more than 6 months was given to 88.2% in the first year, 41.2 % between the first and second year and to 0 % after the second year (p < 0.001). Hospital admissions for respiratory illness decreased from 52.9% in the first year to 17.6% in the second year. None of the children were hospitalized after the age of 2 years (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: During the first 2 years of life, children with BPD showed a greater number of admissions and episodes of wheezing and a greater need for medical treatment. Respiratory morbidity improved with age, 40% showed recurrent wheezing episodes at the age of 4 years.

Sucralfate in the treatment of reflux esophagitis in children. Preliminary results.

In order to evaluate the use of sucralfate in the treatment of children with reflux esophagitis, we studied 66 children aged from 4 months to 12 years (mean 5.9 years, SD 3.5) diagnosed to have gastroesophageal reflux by means of esophageal isotopic examination and radiology. An endoscopic examination was carried out in all cases. None of the patients suffered from kidney disease or had taken antacids, cimetidine, sucralfate or antirheumatic drugs in the two weeks prior to the study. Patients were divided into three groups matched according to age, grade of esophagitis, sex, nutritional state and semiology and treated with sucralfate in tablets, cimetidine, or sucralfate in suspension; no dietetic or postural measures were used. On days 14, 28, 42 and 56, clinical control was carried out and endoscopy was done on day 28, this being repeated on day 56 if the course was not satisfactory. From the statistical analysis of the results we deduce that there are no differences between the three groups. Therefore sucralfate appears to be a useful drug for the treatment of children with esophagitis due to GER.

[Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula treated using percutaneous transcatheter embolization]. / Fístulas arteriovenosas pulmonares tratadas mediante embolización percutánea transcatéter.

Authors report results of treatment of two patients with congenital pulmonary arteriovenous fistulae by means of percutaneous transcatheter embolization utilizing metallic coils. They found a total regression of clinical signs after a follow-up of 36 and 30 months respectively.