Admissions of children 2 years or less were more frequent than other age groups.Pneumonia and bronchopneumonia (ICD-9: 480±487) were the main cause of hospital admissions s (71%) in the youngest group (Fig. 1), but decreased to 30±40% of admissions in the othergroups. Respiratory admissions due to acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and asthma (ICD-9: 466 or 493) were more important in the intermediary age groups, reaching around 20%