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Objective To objectively investigate the effect of passive smoking on pneumonia and disease severity in children aged less than 5 years by using cotinine as an indicator of passive smoking. Methods Between December 2015 and April 2016, children aged less than 5 years with pneumonia and age-matched healthy controls were included in this study, which was conducted at three tertiary pediatric pulmonology centers. A questionnaire was given to the parents regarding demographic data and smoking status at home. Urinary cotinine/creatinine ratio (CCR) was measured. The data from the pneumonia and control groups, as well as children with mild and severe pneumonia within the pneumonia group, were compared. Results A total of 227 subjects were included in the study; there were 74 children in the pneumonia group and 153 in the control group. The mean age of all the children was 33.4 ± 1.28 months. Of all subjects, 140 were male and 102 were exposed to passive smoking by their parents at home. There were statistically significant differences in age, number of people in the home, and mother’s and father’s age between the control and pneumonia groups (p 0.05). Age and urinary CCR were significantly different between children with mild and severe pneumonia (p Conclusion We showed that passive smoking exposure was associated with the development of severe pneumonia in children. Further studies are needed to examine the underlying cause in detail.

© 2021 The Author(s) [2021]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.Mycobacterium abscessus appears to be increasing cause of pulmonary infection in children with underlying risk factors including cystic fibrosis, chronic lung disease and immunodeficiency syndromes. We present a case of pulmonary M. abscessus infection in a pediatric patient with primary ciliary dyskinesia and he was successfully treated with parenteral amikacin, linezolid and oral clarithromycin combined with inhaled amikacin. Clinical improvement was observed after adding inhaled amikacin to the treatment.

Bronchiectasis is still common among some developing countries like Turkey. The aim of this study was to document the number of children with non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis, to evaluate the risk factors and to emphasize early diagnosis and treatment. All children, except those diagnosed with CF, with bronchiectasis established by chest radiogram, bronchography and/or computed tomography or biopsy material, were retrospectively reviewed. They were tested for serum total eosinophil count, nasal smear, serum levels of immunoglobulins A, G, M, E, and serum alpha-1 antitrypsin level. Pulmonary function tests, rigid bronchoscopy, nasal biopsy, lung scintigraphy, and echocardiogram were also performed. There were 204 patients whose most common presenting symptoms were cough, sputum expectoration, and dyspnea. Bronchiectasis was present mostly in the left lower lobe. The cause could not be determined in 49 per cent of patients. Among the identified causes, infection was present in most patients, followed by asthma, primary ciliary dyskinesia, congenital immune deficiency, and foreign body aspiration. It is possible to prevent bronchiectasis in children with vaccinations and improved nutrition in developing countries. Early diagnosis and treatment will increase the quality of life and survival of patients with bronchiectasis, which has irreversible and progressive complications if untreated.