Bronchiectasis in Alaska Native children: Causes and clinical courses

Although bronchiectasis has become a rare condition in U.S. children, it is still commonly diagnosed in Alaska Native children in the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta. The prevalence of bronchiectasis has not decreased in persons born d uring the 1980s as compared with those born in the 1940s. We reviewed case histories of 46 children with bronchiectasis. We observed that recurrent pneumonia was the major preceding medical condit ion in 85% of patients. There was an association between the lobes affected by pneumonia and the lobes affected by bronchiectasis. Eight (17%) patient s had surgical resection of involved robes. We conclude that the continued high prevalence of bronchiectasis appears to be related to extremely high rates of infant and childhood pneumonia. Pedi atr Pulmonol, 2000;29:182-187, Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.dagger