Lipoid pneumonia in children: Clinical and imagenological manifestations

Background. Oil-aspiration pneumonia is still a health problem in countries where infants are forced to receive vegetable or animal oil due to traditi onal habits. The aim of this paper is to present clinical and imagenologica l characteristics of lipoid pneumonia (LP) in children and a review of the literature. Distinguishing features of and differences between other series are presented. Methods. Series of cases. We retrospectively analyzed all records of childr en with lipoid pneumonia between 1991 and 1996. Results. We found 16 patients aged 1-19 months old with positive oil ingest ion in 75% and history of recurrent or persistent pneumonia in 81.2%. In al most 70% of patients, there were underlying conditions known as risk factor s of aspiration. Plain films and computed tomography (CT) showed that the r ight lung was always involved. Fat density was found in only two cases. Bro nchoscopy with bronchial lavage was performed in 15 patients, with lipophag es positive in each patient. Conclusions. Lipoid pneumonia must be ruled out in the differential diagnos is in infants with persistent or recurrent pneumonia with or without fever. especially in patients with aspiration risk factors. Bronchoscopy with bro nchial lavage and positive lipid-laden alveolar macrophages proved a useful method for diagnosis of this condition, More studies are needed to ascerta in the clinical and imagenological evolution of this condition. (C) 2000 IM SS. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.