Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage in children: an international multicentre study.

Background: Paediatric diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) is a rare heterogeneous condition with limited knowledge on clinical presentation, treatment and outcome. Methods: A retrospective, descriptive multicentre follow-up study initiated from the European network for translational research in children's and adult interstitial lung disease (Cost Action CA16125) and chILD-EU CRC (the European Research Collaboration for Children's Interstitial Lung Disease). Inclusion criteria were DAH of any cause diagnosed before the age of 18 years. Results: Data of 124 patients from 26 centres (15 counties) were submitted, of whom 117 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Diagnoses were idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis (n=35), DAH associated with autoimmune features (n=20), systemic and collagen disorders (n=18), immuno-allergic conditions (n=10), other childhood interstitial lung diseases (chILD) (n=5), autoinflammatory diseases (n=3), DAH secondary to other conditions (n=21) and nonspecified DAH (n=5). Median (IQR) age at onset was 5 (2.0-12.9) years. Most frequent clinical presentations were anaemia (87%), haemoptysis (42%), dyspnoea (35%) and cough (32%). Respiratory symptoms were absent in 23%. The most frequent medical treatment was systemic corticosteroids (93%), hydroxychloroquine (35%) and azathioprine (27%). Overall mortality was 13%. Long-term data demonstrated persistent abnormal radiology and a limited improvement in lung function. Conclusions: Paediatric DAH is highly heterogeneous regarding underlying causes and clinical presentation. The high mortality rate and number of patients with ongoing treatment years after onset of disease underline that DAH is a severe and often chronic condition. This large international study paves the way for further prospective clinical trials that will in the long term allow evidence-based treatment and follow-up recommendations to be determined.

French practical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - 2021 update. Full-length version.

BACKGROUND: Since the latest 2017 French guidelines, knowledge about idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis has evolved considerably. METHODS: Practical guidelines were drafted on the initiative of the Coordinating Reference Center for Rare Pulmonary Diseases, led by the French Language Pulmonology Society (SPLF), by a coordinating group, a writing group, and a review group, with the involvement of the entire OrphaLung network, pulmonologists practicing in various settings, radiologists, pathologists, a general practitioner, a health manager, and a patient association. The method followed the "Clinical Practice Guidelines" process of the French National Authority for Health (HAS), including an online vote using a Likert scale. RESULTS: After a literature review, 54 guidelines were formulated, improved, and then validated by the working groups. These guidelines addressed multiple aspects of the disease: epidemiology, diagnostic procedures, quality criteria and interpretation of chest CT scans, lung biopsy indication and procedures, etiological workup, methods and indications for family screening and genetic testing, assessment of the functional impairment and prognosis, indication and use of antifibrotic agents, lung transplantation, management of symptoms, comorbidities and complications, treatment of chronic respiratory failure, diagnosis and management of acute exacerbations of fibrosis. CONCLUSION: These evidence-based guidelines are intended to guide the diagnosis and practical management of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Long-term evolution of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy: the FRENCHI findings.

Only few studies report long-term evolution of patients with neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI). We report data from a 54-patient cohort followed up in the French network for rare respiratory diseases (RespiRare). Demographic characteristics and respiratory and nutritional evolution were collected at the time of the patient's last scheduled visit. The mean duration of follow-up was 68 months (5 months to 18 years). Fifteen patients (27.8%) were considered clinically cured. During follow-up, hospitalizations for wheezy exacerbations were reported in 35 patients (55%), and asthma diagnosed in 20 (37%). Chest CT scan improvement was noted in 25/44 (56.8%). Spirometry showed a persistent obstructive syndrome in 8/27 (29.6%). A sleep disorder was rare (2/36, 5.5%). Oxygen weaning occurred in 28 of the 45 patients initially treated (62.2%) and was age-dependent (35.7% under 2 years, 70.5% between 2 and 6 years, and 100% after 7 years). Oxygen duration was linked to a biopsy-proven diagnosis (p = 0.02) and to the use of a nutritional support (p = 0.003). Corticosteroids were largely prescribed at diagnosis, with no evident respiratory or nutritional effect during follow-up. Among 23 patients with an initial failure to thrive, 12 (52.2%) had no weight recovery. Initial enteral feeding (17/54, 31.5%) was stopped at a mean age of 43 months (3 to 120), with no effect on cure and oxygen liberation at the last visit.  Conclusion: Our results show that NEHI has a globally positive, but unequal, improvement over time. Further prospective studies are needed to better clarify the different trajectories of patients with NEHI. What is Known: • Neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) is an interstitial lung disease whose long-term outcome is considered positive from very few studies including heterogeneous populations. What is New: • The 68-month follow-up of our 54-patient cohort showed respiratory/nutritional symptom persistence in 72.2%, oxygen requiring in 34%, and asthma in 37%. When controlled, radiological or functional improvement was noted in 56.8 and 40.7%. Further prospective studies are needed to better clarify the different trajectories of patients with NEHI.

French national cohort of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (FRENCHI) study: diagnosis and initial management.

Early diagnosis of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) is crucial as, conversely to the other causes of intersititial lung disease, corticosteroids are not recommended. Diagnosis is historically based on lung biopsy (NEHI), but in current practice, a clinical and radiological approach is more and more preferred (NEHI syndrome). This national study aimed to address diagnosis and initial management of patients followed up for a NEHI pattern in pediatric centers for rare lung diseases (RespiRare, France). Data on neonatal and familial events, symptoms at diagnosis, explorations performed and results, and therapeutic management were collected by questionnaire. Fifty-four children were included (boys 63%). The mean onset of symptoms was 3.8 ± 2.6 months. The most frequent symptoms at diagnosis were tachypnea (100%), retraction (79.6%), crackles (66.7%), and hypoxemia (59.3%). The mean NEHI clinical score, evocative when ≥ 7/10, was 7.9 ± 1.4 (76% with a score ≥ 7). All chest CT-scans showed ground glass opacities evolving at least the middle lobe and the lingula. Lung biopsy was performed in 38.9% of the cases and was typical of NEHI in only 52.4%, even when the clinical presentation was typical. Initial treatments were oxygen (83.6%) and more curiously intravenous pulses of steroids (83.3%) and azithromycin (70.2%). CONCLUSION: This national cohort of patients underlines diagnosis difficulties of NEHI. A composite clinical and radiological score should help clinicians for limiting the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. WHAT IS KNOWN: •Neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) is an interstitial lung disease whose diagnosis is essential to limit corticosteroids therapy. WHAT IS NEW: •In this national cohort of 54 patients with a NEHI pattern, diagnosis is mainly based on clinical symptoms and chest CT-scan results. The newly proposed clinical score and, when performed, the lung biopsies are faulted in 25 and 50% of the cases, respectively. •Corticosteroids are widely used. Such results plead for a new composite score to formally diagnose NEHI.

Genotype-Phenotype Relationships in Inheritable Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Greek National Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Monogenic and polygenic inheritances are evidenced for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Pathogenic variations in surfactant protein-related genes, telomere-related genes (TRGs), and a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter of MUC5B gene encoding mucin 5B (rs35705950 T risk allele) are reported. This French-Greek collaborative study, Gen-Phen-Re-GreekS in inheritable IPF (iIPF), aimed to investigate genetic components and patients' characteristics in the Greek national IPF cohort with suspected heritability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 150 patients with familial PF, personal-family extrapulmonary disease suggesting short telomere syndrome, and/or young age IPF were analyzed. RESULTS: MUC5B rs35705950 T risk allele was detected in 103 patients (90 heterozygous, 13 homozygous, allelic frequency of 39%), monoallelic TRG pathogenic variations in 19 patients (8 TERT, 5 TERC, 2 RTEL1, 2 PARN, 1 NOP10, and 1 NHP2), and biallelic ABCA3 pathogenic variations in 3. Overlapping MUC5B rs35705950 T risk allele and TRG pathogenic variations were shown in 11 patients (5 TERT, 3 TERC, 1 PARN, 1 NOP10, and 1 NHP2), MUC5B rs35705950 T risk allele, and biallelic ABCA3 pathogenic variations in 2. In 38 patients, neither MUC5B rs35705950 T risk allele nor TRG pathogenic variations were detectable. Kaplan-Meier curves showed differences in time-to-death (p = 0.025) where patients with MUC5B rs35705950 T risk allele alone or in combination with TRG pathogenic variations presented better prognosis. CONCLUSION: The Gen-Phen-Re-GreekS in iIPF identified multiple and overlapping genetic components including the rarest, underlying disease's genetic "richesse," complexity and heterogeneity. Time-to-death differences may relate to diverse IPF pathogenetic mechanisms implicating "personalized" medical care driven by genotypes in the near future.

Exposure to inorganic particles in paediatric sarcoidosis: the PEDIASARC study.

Inorganic antigens may contribute to paediatric sarcoidosis. Thirty-six patients matched with 36 healthy controls as well as a group of 21 sickle-cell disease (SCD) controls answered an environmental questionnaire. Patients' indirect exposure to inorganic particles, through coresidents' occupations, was higher than in healthy and SCD controls (median score: 2.5 (0.5-7) vs 0.5 (0-2), p=0.003 and 1 (0-2), p=0.012, respectively), especially for construction, exposures to metal dust, talc, abrasive reagents and scouring products. Wood or fossil energies heating were also linked to paediatric sarcoidosis. This study supports a link between mineral environmental exposure due to adult coresident occupations and paediatric sarcoidosis.

Impact of Gender on the Characteristics of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Included in the RaDiCo-ILD Cohort.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence of gender-specific phenotypic differences among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), which may affect patient outcomes. OBJECTIVES: We present the characteristics of patients with IPF at inclusion in the French Rare Disease Cohort - Interstitial Lung Disease (RaDiCo-ILD) with the aim of characterizing gender-specific phenotypic differences. METHODS: Patients with IPF who were enrolled in the national, multicentre RaDiCo-ILD cohort were included. Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores, pulmonary function, chest imaging, and IPF treatment were collected at inclusion and described by gender. RESULTS: The cohort included 724 patients with IPF (54% of RaDiCo-ILD cohort), of whom 82.9% were male. The proportion of male and female patients with a prior history of smoking was 75.0% and 26.8%, respectively. Emphysema was present in 17.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.0, 24.0) of men and 5.4% (95% CI: 1.2, 9.6) of women. At inclusion, females had poorer HRQoL than males based on St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire scores (48.5 [95% CI: 43.9, 53.0] and 41.5 [39.4, 43.6], respectively). The mean forced vital capacity per cent predicted was 77.7% (95% CI: 76.2, 79.3) and 87.4% (83.4, 91.4) for males and females, respectively. Honeycombing on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was present in 70.8% (95% CI: 61.0, 80.6) of males and 45.8% (95% CI: 35.1, 56.5) of females. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis of patients with IPF at inclusion in the RaDiCo-ILD cohort provides evidence that comorbid emphysema, lung volume reduction, and honeycombing on HRCT are more common characteristics of males than females.

Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis with Capsule or Tablet Formulations of Pirfenidone in the Real-Life French RaDiCo-ILD Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Pirfenidone, an antifibrotic medication for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), is now available in France in two formulations: tablets since April 2018, and the initial capsules form. We conducted a cohort study to describe tolerance and acceptability of capsules and/or tablets of pirfenidone in patients with IPF. METHODS: This study was nested within the French, non-randomized, multicenter RaDiCo-ILD (Rare Disease Cohort-Interstitial Lung Diseases). Included patients with IPF received at least one dose of pirfenidone tablets or capsules from July 2017 to June 2019 in three populations: the inclusion population (patients treated at least once with pirfenidone during the study period, n = 288); the potential switch population (patients treated with pirfenidone during the switch period starting April 2018, n = 256); the newly treated population (patients who initiated pirfenidone during the study period, n = 162). Each of those last two populations included three subgroups (tablets, capsules, and substitution). RESULTS: In 288 patients treated, 162 newly initiated pirfenidone during the study period: there were no meaningful differences in the baseline characteristics with the 256 patients treated during the potential switch period. In the newly treated population, 30.3% started pirfenidone treatment with tablet formulation. In the potential switch population, 44.9% of patients shifted from capsule to tablet. Half of the patients shifted to tablet formulation within the first 10 months. The mean treatment duration was 21.5 months with a mean dose of 2106.7 mg/day; 46.5% of patients discontinued treatment, mainly because of adverse events. There were fewer discontinuations in the tablets and substitution subgroups than in the capsules-only subgroup. The most reported adverse event was skin rash (11.5%). No new adverse event was identified. CONCLUSIONS: This real-life cohort assessing the characteristics of the prescription of pirfenidone tablets and capsules suggests a good acceptability of the tablet formulation by patients with IPF. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04238871).

RaDiCo, the French national research program on rare disease cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Rare diseases (RDs) affect nearly 3 million people in France and at least 26-30 million people in Europe. These diseases, which represent a major medical concern, are mainly of genetic origin, often chronic, progressive, degenerative, life threatening and disabling, accounting for more than one third of all deaths occurring during infancy. In this context, there are needs for coordinated information on RDs at national/international levels, based on high quality, interoperable and sharable data. The main objective of the RaDiCo (Rare Disease Cohorts) program, coordinated by Inserm, was the development of RD e-cohorts via a national platform. The cohort projects were selected through a national call in 2014. The e-cohorts are supported by an interoperable platform, equivalent to an infrastructure, constructed on the "cloud computing" principle and in compliance with the European General Data Protection Regulation. It is dedicated to allow a continuous monitoring of data quality and consistency, in line with the French Health Data Hub. RESULTS: Depending on cohorts, the objectives are to describe the natural history of the studied RD(s), identify the underlying disease genes, establish phenotype-genotype correlations, decipher their pathophysiology, assess their societal and medico-economic impact, and/or identify patients eligible for new therapeutic approaches. Inclusion of prevalent and incident cases started at the end of 2016. As of April 2021, 5558 patients have been included within 13 RD e-cohorts covering 67 diseases integrated in 10 European Reference Networks and contributing to the European Joint Program on RDs. Several original results have been obtained in relation with the secondary objectives of the RaDiCo cohorts. They deal with discovery of new disease genes, assessment of treatment management, deciphering the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnostic approaches, genotype-phenotype relationships, development and validation of questionnaires relative to disease burden, or methodological aspects. CONCLUSION: RaDiCo currently hosts 13 RD e-cohorts on a sharable and interoperable platform constructed on the "cloud computing" principle. New RD e-cohorts at the European and international levels are targeted.

Study design of a randomised, placebo-controlled trial of nintedanib in children and adolescents with fibrosing interstitial lung disease.

Childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) comprises >200 rare respiratory disorders, with no currently approved therapies and variable prognosis. Nintedanib reduces the rate of forced vital capacity (FVC) decline in adults with progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). We present the design of a multicentre, prospective, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial of nintedanib in patients with fibrosing chILD (1199-0337 or InPedILD; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04093024). Male or female children and adolescents aged 6-17 years (≥30; including ≥20 adolescents aged 12-17 years) with clinically significant fibrosing ILD will be randomised 2:1 to receive oral nintedanib or placebo on top of standard of care for 24 weeks (double-blind), followed by variable-duration nintedanib (open-label). Nintedanib dosing will be based on body weight-dependent allometric scaling, with single-step dose reductions permitted to manage adverse events. Eligible patients will have evidence of fibrosis on high-resolution computed tomography (within 12 months of their first screening visit), FVC ≥25% predicted, and clinically significant disease (Fan score of ≥3 or evidence of clinical progression over time). Patients with underlying chronic liver disease, significant pulmonary arterial hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or increased bleeding risk are ineligible. The primary endpoints are pharmacokinetics and the proportion of patients with treatment-emergent adverse events at week 24. Secondary endpoints include change in FVC% predicted from baseline, Pediatric Quality of Life Questionnaire, oxygen saturation, and 6-min walk distance at weeks 24 and 52. Additional efficacy and safety endpoints will be collected to explore long-term effects.

Functional assessment and phenotypic heterogeneity of SFTPA1 and SFTPA2 mutations in interstitial lung diseases and lung cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) can be caused by mutations in the SFTPA1 and SFTPA2 genes, which encode the surfactant protein (SP) complex SP-A. Only 11 SFTPA1 or SFTPA2 mutations have so far been reported worldwide, of which five have been functionally assessed. In the framework of ILD molecular diagnosis, we identified 14 independent patients with pathogenic SFTPA1 or SFTPA2 mutations. The present study aimed to functionally assess the 11 different mutations identified and to accurately describe the disease phenotype of the patients and their affected relatives. METHODS: The consequences of the 11 SFTPA1 or SFTPA2 mutations were analysed both in vitro, by studying the production and secretion of the corresponding mutated proteins and ex vivo, by analysing SP-A expression in lung tissue samples. The associated disease phenotypes were documented. RESULTS: For the 11 identified mutations, protein production was preserved but secretion was abolished. The expression pattern of lung SP-A available in six patients was altered and the family history reported ILD and/or lung adenocarcinoma in 13 out of 14 families (93%). Among the 28 SFTPA1 or SFTPA2 mutation carriers, the mean age at ILD onset was 45 years (range 0.6-65 years) and 48% underwent lung transplantation (mean age 51 years). Seven carriers were asymptomatic. DISCUSSION: This study, which expands the molecular and clinical spectrum of SP-A disorders, shows that pathogenic SFTPA1 or SFTPA2 mutations share similar consequences for SP-A secretion in cell models and in lung tissue immunostaining, whereas they are associated with a highly variable phenotypic expression of disease, ranging from severe forms requiring lung transplantation to incomplete penetrance.

Child-Adult Transition in Sarcoidosis: A Series of 52 Patients.

(1) Background: Pediatric sarcoidosis is a rare and mostly severe disease. Very few pediatric series with a prolonged follow-up are reported. We aimed to evaluate the evolution of pediatric sarcoidosis in adulthood. (2) Material and methods: Patients over 18-years-old with a pediatric-onset sarcoidosis (≤15-year-old) who completed at least a three-year follow-up in French expert centers were included. Clinical information at presentation and outcome in adulthood were studied. (3) Results: A total of 52 patients were included (34 prospectively in childhood and 18 retrospectively in adulthood), with a mean age of 12 (±2.7) at diagnosis. The median duration time of follow-up was 11.5 years (range 3-44.5). Relapses mostly occurred during treatment decrease (84.5%), others within the three years after treatment interruption (9.1%), and rarely when the disease was stable for more than three years (6.4%). Sarcoidosis was severe in 11 (21.2%) in adulthood. Patients received a high corticosteroid cumulative dose (median 17,900 mg) for a median duration of five years (range 0-32), resulting in mostly mild (18; 35.3%) and rarely severe (2; 3.8%) adverse events. (4) Conclusions: Pediatric-onset sarcoidosis needed a long-term treatment in almost half of the patients. Around one fifth of pediatric-onset sarcoidosis patients had severe sarcoidosis consequences in adulthood.

Interstitial lung diseases in children.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) in children (chILD) is a heterogeneous group of rare respiratory disorders that are mostly chronic and associated with high morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of the various chILD is complex and the diseases share common features of inflammatory and fibrotic changes of the lung parenchyma that impair gas exchanges. The etiologies of chILD are numerous. In this review, we chose to classify them as ILD related to exposure/environment insults, ILD related to systemic and immunological diseases, ILD related to primary lung parenchyma dysfunctions and ILD specific to infancy. A growing part of the etiologic spectrum of chILD is being attributed to molecular defects. Currently, the main genetic mutations associated with chILD are identified in the surfactant genes SFTPA1, SFTPA2, SFTPB, SFTPC, ABCA3 and NKX2-1. Other genetic contributors include mutations in MARS, CSF2RA and CSF2RB in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, and mutations in TMEM173 and COPA in specific auto-inflammatory forms of chILD. However, only few genotype-phenotype correlations could be identified so far. Herein, information is provided about the clinical presentation and the diagnosis approach of chILD. Despite improvements in patient management, the therapeutic strategies are still relying mostly on corticosteroids although specific therapies are emerging. Larger longitudinal cohorts of patients are being gathered through ongoing international collaborations to improve disease knowledge and targeted therapies. Thus, it is expected that children with ILD will be able to reach the adulthood transition in a better condition.

Use of ruxolitinib in COPA syndrome manifesting as life-threatening alveolar haemorrhage.

COPA (coatomer subunit α) syndrome is a newly recognised cause of interstitial lung disease in children and adults, frequently associated with arthritis and renal dysfunction. We report a 11-year-old girl with disease limited to major pulmonary haemosiderosis manifesting at the age of 2 years, due to a heterozygous p.(Arg233His) mutation in COPA Her interferon (IFN) signature was elevated (10.312 and 12.429, healthy <2.466), as was the level of serum IFNα (211 fg/mL, healthy <10 fg/mL). STAT1 phosphorylation in T lymphocytes and monocytes was increased as compared with healthy controls. Based on these results she was treated with the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib, which resulted in reduction in IFN signalling and appeared to be associated with partial though incomplete decrease in the severity of her pulmonary disease. Patients with alveolar haemorrhage of unknown origin should be considered for COPA screening. Functional tests can help to personalise patient therapy.

Deep phenotyping, including quantitative ciliary beating parameters, and extensive genotyping in primary ciliary dyskinesia.

BACKGROUND: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetic disorder resulting in abnormal ciliary motility/structure, extremely heterogeneous at genetic and ultrastructural levels. We aimed, in light of extensive genotyping, to identify specific and quantitative ciliary beating anomalies, according to the ultrastructural phenotype. METHODS: We prospectively included 75 patients with PCD exhibiting the main five ultrastructural phenotypes (n=15/group), screened all corresponding PCD genes and measured quantitative beating parameters by high-speed video-microscopy (HSV). RESULTS: Sixty-eight (91%) patients carried biallelic mutations. Combined outer/inner dynein arms (ODA/IDA) defect induces total ciliary immotility, regardless of the gene involved. ODA defect induces a residual beating with dramatically low ciliary beat frequency (CBF) related to increased recovery stroke and pause durations, especially in case of DNAI1 mutations. IDA defect with microtubular disorganisation induces a low percentage of beating cilia with decreased beating angle and, in case of CCDC39 mutations, a relatively conserved mean CBF with a high maximal CBF. Central complex defect induces nearly normal beating parameters, regardless of the gene involved, and a gyrating motion in a minority of ciliated edges, especially in case of RSPH1 mutations. PCD with normal ultrastructure exhibits heterogeneous HSV values, but mostly an increased CBF with an extremely high maximal CBF. CONCLUSION: Quantitative HSV analysis in PCD objectives beating anomalies associated with specific ciliary ultrastructures and genotypes. It represents a promising approach to guide the molecular analyses towards the best candidate gene(s) to be analysed or to assess the pathogenicity of the numerous sequence variants identified by next-generation-sequencing.

One-year outcomes in a multicentre cohort study of incident rare diffuse parenchymal lung disease in children (ChILD).

We performed a prospective, observational, cohort study of children newly diagnosed with children's interstitial lung disease (ChILD), with structured follow-up at 4, 8, 12 weeks and 6 and 12 months. 127 children, median age 0.9 (IQR 0.3-7.9) years had dyspnoea (68%, 69/102), tachypnoea (75%, 77/103) and low oxygen saturation (SpO2) median 92% (IQR 88-96). Death (n=20, 16%) was the most common in those <6 months of age with SpO2<94% and developmental/surfactant disorders. We report for the first time that ChILD survivors improved multiple clinical parameters within 8-12 weeks of diagnosis. These data can inform family discussions and support clinical trial measurements.

Pilot experience of multidisciplinary team discussion dedicated to inherited pulmonary fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Genetic testing is proposed for suspected cases of monogenic pulmonary fibrosis, but clinicians and patients need specific information and recommendation about the related diagnosis and management issues. Because multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) has been shown to improve accuracy of interstitial lung disease (ILD) diagnosis, we evaluated the feasibility of a genetic MDD (geneMDD) dedicated to the indication for and interpretation of genetic testing. The geneMDD group met monthly and included pediatric and adult lung specialists with ILD expertise, molecular and clinical geneticists, and one radiologist. Hematologists, rheumatologists, dermatologists, hepatologists, and pathologists were also invited to attend. RESULTS: Since 2016, physicians from 34 different centers in 7 countries have participated in the geneMDD. The medical files of 95 patients (53 males) have been discussed. The median age of patients was 43 years [range 0-77], 10 were ≤ 15 years old, and 6 were deceased at the time of the discussion. Among 85 analyses available, the geneMDD considered the rare gene variants pathogenic for 61: 37 variants in telomere-related genes, 23 variants in surfactant-related genes and 1 variant in MARS. Genetic counseling was offered for relatives of these patients. The geneMDD therapeutic proposals were as follows: antifibrotic drugs (n = 25), steroids or immunomodulatory therapy (n = 18), organ transplantation (n = 21), watch and wait (n = 21), or best supportive care (n = 4). CONCLUSION: Our experience shows that a dedicated geneMDD is feasible regardless of a patient's age and provides a unique opportunity to adapt patient management and therapy in this very rare condition.

Pulmonary Fibrosis in Children.

: Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a very rare condition in children, which may be observed in specific forms of interstitial lung disease. None of the clinical, radiological, or histological descriptions used for PF diagnosis in adult patients, especially in situations of idiopathic PF, can apply to pediatric situations. This observation supports the view that PF expression may differ with age and, most likely, may cover distinct entities. The present review aims at summarizing the current understanding of PF pathophysiology in children and identifying suitable diagnostic criteria.

Bi-allelic missense ABCA3 mutations in a patient with childhood ILD who reached adulthood.

Children with ABCA3 mutations may survive beyond infancy and reach adulthood. Genetic mechanisms should always be examined in adult patients with childhood onset ILD and molecular analysis should be performed accordingly in specialised referral centres. http://bit.ly/2LzMNOE.

Health-related quality of life in infants and children with interstitial lung disease.

INTRODUCTION: Interstitial lung disease in children (chILD) is a highly heterogeneous group of rare and severe respiratory disorders. The disease by itself, the burden of the treatments (oxygen therapy, corticosteroid pulses, nutritional support) and recurrent hospitalizations may impair the quality of life (QoL) of these children. The aim of the study was to compare the health-related QoL (HR-QoL) in chILD compared to a healthy population and to find out the predictive factors of an altered QoL. METHODS: Patients aged 1 month to 18 years with ILD of known or unknown etiology were prospectively included. Parents and children over 8 years old were asked to fill the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scale ranging from 0 to 100 points. RESULTS: A total of 78 children were recruited in 13 French pediatric centers. Total scores were 11.94 points (P = 0.0003) less for child self-report and 14.08 points ( P < 0.0001) less for parent proxy-report with respect to the healthy population. The clinical factors associated with a lower total score were: extrapulmonary expression of the disease, higher Fan severity score, long-term oxygen therapy, nutritional support, and a number of oral treatments. CONCLUSION: Using a validated quality of life (QoL) scale, we showed that health-related-QoL is significantly impaired in chILD compared with a healthy population. Factors altering QoL score are easy to recognize and could help identify children at a heightened risk of low QoL.