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A study of 29 children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis over 2 years showed some evidence of benefit from the twice daily inhalation of 20 mg nebulized gentamicin when compared to the inhalation of a nebulized saline mixture. Clinical symptoms, deterioration in pulmonary function, antibiotic usage, days in hospital and development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the sputum were recorded. There was no significant difference in antibiotic usage, days in hospital or clinical symptoms between the two regimes. Those subjects with P. aeruginosa in sputum showed significantly less deterioration in lung function over 2 years while using gentamicin aerosol. There was no difference in progress between the two treatment regimes for those subjects with P. aeruginosa in sputum at the beginning of the study, nor was there any difference in the number developing P. aeruginosa in sputum.

Pulmonary actinomycosis is rare in Australian children. A patient with the condition is described in whom a diagnosis was made by open lung biopsy. She was treated successfully with penicillin and tetracycline.

A case is reported of Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome presenting in a 9 year old girl as recurrent haemoptysis. Despite a normal chest X-ray, the patient was found to have multiple areas of angiodysplasia in the major airways of her right lung.

The effect of nebulized ipratropium bromide in 14 infants (mean age: 20 weeks, range: 4-41) with acute respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis was examined. A modified rapid chest compression technique was used to obtain partial expiratory flow-volume curves and maximum flow at functional residual capacity. Passive respiratory mechanics were assessed by brief occlusion at end inspiration. Thoracic gas volume was measured in a body plethysmograph. No significant difference was found in forced and passive respiratory mechanics pre- and post-ipratropium bromide. No subgroups could be identified. These results do not support the use of ipratropium bromide in acute viral bronchiolitis.