FACTORS INFLUENCING SURVIVAL IN CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC INTERSTITIAL LUNG-DISEASE

To investigate factors influencing survival in children with chronic i nterstitial lung disease (ILD), we extracted specific clinical informa tion from a data base of 99 children with ILD who met entry criteria f or our study. The effects of a weight below the fifth percentile for t he patient's age, crackles, clubbing, family history of ILD, symptom d uration, and severity-of-illness score on survival were examined with univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. There were 15 record ed deaths in the group, with a probability that a patient would surviv e to 24 mo, 48 mo, and 60 mo after onset of symptoms of 83%, 72%, and 64%, respectively. Of the clinical features, only increasing severity- of-illness score was significantly associated with a higher probabilit y of decreased survival. Children with ILD have decreased survival pro babilities that can be predicted with a severity-of-illness score.