Clinical characteristics of 6 children with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of 6 children with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the clinical manifestations, examinations, treatment and prognosis of 6 children with IIP who were hospitalized in Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2015 to March 2020. Results: Of the 6 children, 2 were males and 4 were females, aged 4.8 to10.6 years. All children had a subacute onset, and presented with cough, shortness of breath and cyanosis. The lung high-resolution CT (HRCT) showed diffuse patchiness in bilateral lung fields in all the children and reticular pattern in 2 cases. Pulmonary function test found moderate to severe mixed defect in 5 children. Lung biopsy was performed in 4 children. All of the 6 children were treated with systemic glucocorticoids, of whom 2 cases had additional inhaled glucocorticoids. Four children were finally diagnosed as cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), whose lung HRCT return to normal in 1-11 months. Two children were finally diagnosed as nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), and had long-term residual fibrosis on lung HRCT. The 6 children were followed up for 1 year to 6 years and 5 months after discontinuation of systemic glucocorticoids, and all had no recurrence. Conclusions: The clinical characteristics of IIP in children are subacute onset presented with cough, shortness of breath, cyanosis and diffuse patchiness in bilateral lungs on HRCT. The common subtypes of IIP in children are COP and NSIP. Systemic glucocorticoid is effective for IIP in children and there is a good prognosis overall.