EVALUATION OF A DIAGNOSTIC-APPROACH TO PEDIATRIC INTERSTITIAL LUNG-DISEASE

Objective. To evaluate the value of a systematic approach to the diagn osis of pediatric interstitial lung disease (ILD). Methods. In this de scriptive, observational, prospective study, we evaluated 51 children presenting with ILD of unknown etiology during a 3-year period. Specif ic clinical information regarding history, physical examination, diagn ostic evaluation, and final diagnosis was recorded on each patient. Re sults. A specific diagnosis was established lay history and physical e xamination alone in I patient, noninvasive tests alone in 8 others, an d invasive tests, including lung biopsy, in another 26, Of the remaini ng patients, 8 had a suggestive diagnosis, and 8 had no specific diagn osis. Conclusions. A systematic approach to the diagnosis of pediatric ILD is useful, and not all patients need lung biopsy for diagnosis.