Is appearance of bronchiolitis affected by environmental and genetic factors?|L'insorgenza della bronchiolite è condizionata da fattori ambientali e genetici?

We have respectively studied 39 patients (22 males and 17 females) in an age below 18 months affected with bronchiolitis and hospitalized in the "Istituto di Pediatria B (Institute of Pediatrics B) of Palermo's University from november 1986 to april 1987. The parameters we have considered are: 1) the family predisposition to atopy; 2) the type of suckling; 3) the social and economical conditions pointed out the overcrowding index; 4) the every day consumption of cigarettes by the cohabitant relatives; 5) the total dosage of IgE. The data of the hospitalized patients have been compared with the ones pointed out in an "examination group" formed by 64 subjects (36 males and 28 females). The frequency of family predisposition to atopy in our patients has turned out to be inferior to the group examined. The overcrowding index allowed a superposition in the two groups. Among our patients we have found a smaller amount of breast-fed babies and a greater number of smoking cohabitant in comparison with the controls even if the differences statistically were not significant. The serial IgE levels, carried out in 29 patients, resulted high in 6 children (20.69%).