Paediatric Research Society 243 Effect of nebulized salbutamol in infants with

Airway resistance and thoracic gas volume were measured by means of a whole body plethysmograph in 10 infants suffering from wheezy bronchitis, which was a clinical diagnosis based on a combination of tachypnoea, respiratory distress, and generalized expiratory rhonchi. 1 of the infants had a family history of asthma, 2 had suffered from infantile eczema, and 3 had suffered from previous wheezing attacks. Compared with a group of normal subjects of similar age and weight, these infants had a high airway resistance and a high thoracic gas volume. Salbutamol was administered to the infants using a Wright's nebuliser and about 20 minutes later the measurement of airway resistance and thoracic gas volume were repeated and found to be unchanged. It is concluded that salbutamol is not an effective form of therapy in wheezy bronchitis in infancy. Antenatal tests of pulmonary maturity and pulmonary function after birth. R. Dinwiddie