[Follow-up study of the effect of acute lower respiratory tract infection during childhood on chronic bronchitis in adults].

In order to study the relationship between the acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) during childhood and the occurrence of chronic bronchitis in adults, 90 cases (infection group) admitted to hospital for ALRTI before 7 yr old were followed up 24-31 years later. Their siblings without ALRTI during childhood were selected as the control group. The prevalence of chronic bronchitis in the infection group (12.2%) is significantly higher than that of the control group (2.2%). It is concluded that ALRTI during childhood may play an important role in the occurrence of chronic bronchitis in adults. Further analysis showed that infection and smoking have synergic effects on the occurrence of chronic bronchitis.