A prospective study of 1,144 infants and their families was performed. Smoking and family histories were evaluated with respect to the incidence of lower respiratory disease during the first year of life. It was found that (1) tracheitis and bronchitis occurred significantly more frequently in infants exposed to cigarette smoke in the home, (2) maternal smoking imposed greater risks upon the infant than paternal smoking, (3) occurrence of neither tracheitis nor bronchitis showed a consistent relationship to the number of cigarettes smoked, (4) a family history that was positive for respiratory illness (chronic cough or bronchitis) significantly influenced the incidence of bronchitis, (5) too few cases of laryngitis and pneumonia were seen to warrant any opinions regarding the adverse influence of either smoking or a family history that was positive for respiratory illness, and (6) occurrence of bronchiolitis was not affected by the presence of a smoker nor influenced by a family history that was positive for respiratory illness. It is concluded that passive smoking is dangerous to the health of infants and that infants born to families with a history that is positive for respiratory illness (chronic cough or bronchitis) are at risk of developing bronchitis.
We read with interest the recent report, "Acute Airway Obstruction in Infectious Mononucleosis."1 Dr. Gutgesell appropriately has called attention to a serious complication of a usually benign disease. He mentions brief, high-dose corticosteroid therapy, tracheotomy, nasotracheal intubation, and IPPB as potential modes of therapy. The following case report suggests an additional therapeutic modality in the management of these patients.
A 4-year-old girl was admitted to a community hospital in acute respiratory distress associated with suspected infectious mononucleosis.
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