Bronchiectasis is a disease which is rarely found in developed countries and has a high incidence in developing countries. In Brazil, the most frequent causes are viral or bacterial respiratory infections in childhood, and tuberculosis. Antibiotic therapy considerably reduces morbidity. However, in patients with persistent symptoms, surgical resection offers greater chances of cure or better quality of life. Objectives: Prospectively evaluate the clinical-epidemiological profile of patients with bronchiectasis as well as the results of surgical treatment in patients from two public hospitals in Fortaleza (CE), northeastern Brazil. Patients and method: Sixty-seven patients with bronchiectasis submitted to surgery between August 1989 and March 1999 were evaluated, as well as demographic data, etiology of the disease, complications, and therapeutic success rate. Results: Mean age of patients (39 females e 28 males) was 32.5 ± 14.1 years. The most frequent causes of bronchiectasis were viral or bacterial infection (44.8%) and tuberculosis (31.3%). The disease was localized in 46 patients and multisegmental in 21. In six patients it was bilateral. No surgical death occurred and postoperative complications were more frequent in patients with multisegmental bronchiectasis (9/21 versus 6/46, p = 0.011). From the 62 patients who were followed up, 49 were cured, 10 showed improvement, and 3 did not obtain any benefit. Results were excellent in 39 patients with localized bronchiectasis and in 10 patients with the multisegmental form of the disease (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Results show two distinct groups of patients: those with bronchiectasis, who presented fewer surgical complications and better postoperative results, and those with multisegmental bronchiectasis.

Keywords: Bronchiectasis. Epidemiological profiles. Clinical diagnosis. Treatment outcome. Surgical operative procedures.

Objective: Asthma and respiratory symptoms are common in children, and many studies have shown associations between childhood symptoms and impaired lung function in adult life. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of various respiratory symptoms with wheezing patterns (persistent, early, and late-onset) and lung function, as well as to determine whether lung function was associated with atopy or with demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and gestational factors, in a birth cohort at 6-7 years of age. Methods: The target population consisted of children aged 6-7 years from a birth cohort of 5,304 children born in southern Brazil in 1993. For this follow-up evaluation, 532 of those children were randomly selected, and a sub-sample was submitted to spirometry and skin prick tests. A questionnaire was administered to the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of each child. Results: Spirometric values were lower in the children with respiratory symptoms or asthma. Mean forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC ratio) was lower in children with any of the following: current wheezing and asthma; asthma ever; four or more episodes of wheezing within the preceding 12 months; sleep disturbance due to wheezing; and exercise-induced wheezing. Persistent wheezing was associated with lower FEV1/FVC ratio. After multiple linear regression, exercise-induced wheezing was also associated with reduced FEV1/FVC ratio. Nonwhite skin color and wheezing severe enough to limit speech were associated with lower FEV1. Conclusions: Children with persistent wheezing and symptoms of severe asthma have impaired lung function at 6-7 years of age.

Keywords: Asthma; Respiratory function tests; Respiratory sounds; Signs and symptoms, respiratory.