The aim of this study was to determine whether outdoor nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) was associated with the prevalence of asthma and respiratory symptoms.In eight nonurban communities, 843 children resident for a minimum of 2 yrs were studied. Since industrial sources of air pollution were at least 20 km away from the study communities, NO 2 was considered to primarily indicate trafficrelated air pollution. NO 2 was recorded at central monitors, and the 3 yr mean exposure was calculated. Asthma and respiratory symptoms were assessed according to the International Study on Asthma and Allergy in Childhood.Prevalence of asthma at some time ("ever asthma") was associated with longterm NO 2 . In parallel with increasing levels of NO 2 (community specific 3 yr mean 6.0-17.0 parts per billion (ppb)), asthma prevalence was 2.5, 1.4, 1.6, 2.3, 3.4, 3.6, 7.6 and 8.5%, respectively (p=0.002 for trend). The prevalence odds ratios (PORs) for "ever asthma", following adjustment for gender, age, parental education, passive smoke exposure, type of indoor heating, and parental asthma, were 1.28 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.20-7.98), 2.14 (95% CI 0.40-11.3) and 5.81 (95% CI 1.27-26.5), when each of two communities with low, regular and high NO 2 , respectively, were compared with the two communities with very low NO 2 . For symptoms "wheeze" (adjusted PORs for increased NO 2 : 1.47, 1.23 and 2.27) and "cough apart from colds" (adjusted PORs for increased NO 2 : 1.49, 1.93 and 2.07), a similar trend was seen.In this study a significant relationship was observed between traffic-related nitrogen dioxide and the prevalence of asthma and symptoms. Whether this association is causal has to be tested in longitudinal studies.

We previously reported on a series of 27 newborn infants treated for posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus with external ventricular drainage during 1984 to 1989. In the present study we continued to evaluate this technique during the subsequent 8 years (37 patients; mean birthweight 1251+/-478 g; mean gestational age 29+/-2.9 weeks; 51 drains), and we now report on the long-term experience with this method, complications, and neurodevelopmental outcome of the survivors. The mean age at drain insertion was 21 days, and the mean duration of drainage 23 days. Eight infants died of causes unrelated to external ventricular drainage. Eleven of the survivors did not require a permanent shunt. Two patients experienced ventriculitis, resulting in an infection rate of 5.4% per patient and 3.9% per drain. The neurodevelopmental outcome was mainly dependent on the extent of the pre-existing parenchymal injury. We conclude that external ventricular drainage is a safe and effective technique for the management of preterm infants with posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus.

We report on a male infant who presented with intrauterine growth retardation, severe postnatal failure to thrive, microcephaly, facial dysmorphism, and skeletal dysplasia. The clinical and radiological findings are consistent with former descriptions of microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism (MOPD) type IIIII. In addition to previously published features, multiple fractures of the long bones, severe neonatal cholestasis, and histological dysplasia of the kidneys were found. The boy died at the age of 8 months. The new finding of focal renal medullary dysplasia further supports the hypothesis of a basic defect in tissue differentiation in the pathogenesis of this rare condition.(fMed Genet 1998;35:61-64)

Assessment of inflammatory mediators in nasal lavages is a useful tool for epidemiological paediatric studies. However, due to the relatively high intraindividual variability of ECP concentrations multiple lavages are necessary to characterize the individual.

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