Clinical features of plastic bronchitis in children after congenital heart surgery.

BACKGROUND: Plastic bronchitis (PB) can occur in patients who have undergone congenital heart surgery (CHS). This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of PB in children after CHS. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the electronic medical record system. The study population consisted of children diagnosed with PB after bronchoscopy in the cardiac intensive care unit after CHS from May 2016 to October 2021. RESULTS: A total of 68 children after CHS were finally included in the study (32 in the airway abnormalities group and 36 in the right ventricular dysfunction group). All children were examined and treated with fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Pathogens were detected in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of 41 children, including 32 cases in the airway abnormalities group and 9 cases in the right ventricular dysfunction group. All patients were treated with antibiotics, corticosteroids (intravenous or oral), and budesonide inhalation suspension. Children with right ventricular dysfunction underwent pharmacological treatment such as reducing pulmonary arterial pressure. Clinical symptoms improved in 64 children, two of whom were treated with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) due to recurrent PB and disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Children with airway abnormalities or right ventricular dysfunction after CHS should be alerted to the development of PB. Pharmacological treatment such as anti-infection, corticosteroids, or improvement of right ventricular function is the basis of PB treatment, while fiberoptic bronchoscopy is an essential tool for the diagnosis and treatment of PB. ECMO assistance is a vital salvage treatment for recurrent critically ill PB patients.

Etiology and clinical features of infection-associated plastic bronchitis in children.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the etiological characteristics of plastic bronchitis (PB) caused by pulmonary infections in children and to identify any differences in the clinical features of PB cases caused by different pathogens. METHOD: We collected data on children diagnosed with PB and admitted to the Respiratory Department at Soochow University Children's Hospital between July 2021 and March 2023 utilizing electronic bronchoscopy. We analyzed clinical characteristics and the species of pathogens causing the illness in these children. RESULT: A total of 45 children were enrolled. The main clinical symptoms observed were cough (100%), fever (80%), shortness of breath (28.9%), and wheezing (20.0%). Pathogens were identified in 38 (84.4%) patients. Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) had the highest detection rate at 53.3%, followed by the Boca virus at 26.7%. MP-induced PB typically occurs in older children with an average age of 7.46 ± 2.36 years, with the main symptoms including high fever (85.7%) and local hyporespiration (42.9%). In contrast, Boca virus-induced PB tends to occur in younger children, with the main symptoms of moderate fever (54.5%), and wheezing (54.5%). The MP group exhibited a higher incidence of both internal and external pulmonary complications, including pleural effusion (42.9%), elevated aspartate aminotransferase (52.4%), lactic dehydrogenase (76.2%), and D-D dimer (90.5%). Conversely, the Boca virus group primarily showed pulmonary imaging of atelectasis (81.8%), with no pleural effusion. The average number of bronchoscopic interventions in the MP group was 2.24 ± 0.62, which was significantly higher than that required in the Boca virus group (1.55 ± 0.52). During the second bronchoscopy, 57.1% of children in the MP group still had visible mucus plugs, while none were observed in the Boca virus group. CONCLUSION: MP and Boca virus are the primary pathogens responsible for PB among children. The clinical manifestations of PB typically vary significantly based on the pathogen causing the condition.

Protein-Losing Enteropathy and Plastic Bronchitis Following the Total Cavopulmonary Connections.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate incidence, outcomes, and predictors of protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) and plastic bronchitis (PB) in a cohort of total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC). METHODS: We included 620 consecutive patients undergoing TCPC between 1994 and 2021. Prevalence and predictors for onset of PLE/PB were evaluated. Death and heart transplantation after onset of PLE/PB were examined. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients presented with PLE/PB (31 with PLE, 15 with PB, and 5 developed both PLE and PB). Their median age at TCPC was 2.2 (interquartile ranges [IQRs], 1.7-3.7) years, and time period to onset for PLE was 2.6 (IQR: 1.0-6.6) years and for PB was 1.1 (IQR: 0.3-4.1) years after TCPC. Independent factors for developing PLE/PB were dominant right ventricle (RV, hazard ratio [HR], 2.243; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.129-4.458, P = .021) and prolonged pleural effusion after TCPC (HR, 2.101; 95% CI, 1.090-4.049, P = .027). In PLE/PB population, freedom from death or transplantation after PLE/PB diagnosis at 5 and 10 years were 88.7% and 76.4%, respectively. Eleven surgical interventions were performed in 10 patients, comprising atrioventricular valve repairs (n = 4), Fontan pathway revisions (n = 2), pacemaker implantation (n = 2), secondary fenestration (n = 1), diaphragm plication (n = 1), and ventricular assist device implantation (n = 1). In nine patients, a recovery from PLE with the resolution of PLE symptoms and normal protein levels was achieved. Eight patients died and the remaining continued to have challenging protein loss. CONCLUSIONS: Protein-losing enteropathy and PB remain severe complications in the cohort of TCPC. Patients with dominant RV, and prolonged pleural effusions, were at risk for PLE/PB.

[Clinical characteristics of plastic bronchitis and risk factors for recurrence in children]. / å„¿ç«¥å¡‘åž‹æ€§æ”¯æ°”ç®¡ç‚Žä¸´åºŠç‰¹å¾åŠå¤å‘å±é™©å› ç´ åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical characteristics of plastic bronchitis (PB) in children and investigate the the risk factors for recurrence of PB. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of medical data of children with PB who were hospitalized in Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2012 to July 2022. The children were divided into a single occurrence of PB group and a recurrent PB group and the risk factors for recurrence of PB were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 107 children with PB were included, including 61 males (57.0%) and 46 females (43.0%), with a median age of 5.0 years, and 78 cases (72.9%) were over 3 years old. All the children had cough, 96 children (89.7%) had fever, with high fever in 90 children. Seventy-three children (68.2%) had shortness of breath, and 64 children (59.8%) had respiratory failure. Sixty-six children (61.7%) had atelectasis and 52 children (48.6%) had pleural effusion. Forty-seven children (43.9%) had Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, 28 children (26.2%) had adenovirus infection, and 17 children (15.9%) had influenza virus infection. Seventy-one children (66.4%) had a single occurrence of PB, and 36 cases (33.6%) had recurrent occurrence of PB (≥2 times). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that involvement of ≥2 lung lobes (OR=3.376) under bronchoscopy, continued need for invasive ventilation after initial removal of plastic casts (OR=3.275), and concomitant multi-organ dysfunction outside the lungs (OR=2.906) were independent risk factors for recurrent occurrence of PB (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Children with pneumonia accompanied by persistent high fever, shortness of breath, respiratory failure, atelectasis or pleural effusion should be highly suspected with PB. Involvement of ≥2 lung lobes under bronchoscopy, continued need for invasive ventilation after initial removal of plastic casts, and concomitant multi-organ dysfunction outside the lungs may be risk factors for recurrent occurrence of PB.

Cryoextraction via flexible bronchoscopy in children with tracheobronchial obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Cryoextraction via flexible bronchoscopy (FB) can be used to alleviate airway obstruction due to blood clots, casts, mucus, and foreign bodies. There is limited literature regarding the utility of cryoextraction to restore airway patency in critically ill children, especially on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The aims of this study were to describe the clinical course and outcomes of children who underwent cryoextraction via FB. METHODS: A singlecenter retrospective review of children who underwent cryoextraction via FB between 2017 and 2021 was conducted. The analyzed data included diagnoses, indications for cryoextraction, respiratory support modalities, FB and chest imaging results, and outcomes. RESULTS: Eleven patients aged 3-17 years underwent a total of 33 cryoextraction sessions via FB. Patients required ECMO (n = 9) or conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) for pneumonia, pulmonary hemorrhage, pulmonary embolism, asthma exacerbation, and cardiorespiratory failure following cardiac surgery. One patient underwent elective FB and cryoextraction for plastic bronchitis. Indications for cryoextraction included airway obstruction due to tracheobronchial thrombi (n = 8), mucus plugs (n = 1), or plastic bronchitis (n = 2). Cryoextraction via FB was performed on patients on ECMO (n = 9) and CMV (n = 2) with 6 patients requiring ≥3 cryoextraction sessions for airway obstruction. There were no complications related to cryoextraction. Patient outcomes included partial (n = 5) or complete (n = 6) restoration of airway patency with ECMO decannulation (n = 5) and death (n = 4) due to critical illness. CONCLUSIONS: Cryoextraction via FB is an effective intervention that can be utilized in critically ill children with refractory tracheobronchial obstruction to restore airway patency and to facilitate liberation from ECMO.

Transvenous retrograde thoracic duct embolization for effective treatment of recurrent plastic bronchitis after fontan palliation.

We report the case of a 5.5-year-old patient (16 kg/105 cm) who presented with plastic bronchitis (PB) refractory to conservative treatment 3 months after completion of Fontan palliation. Bi-inguinal transnodal fluoroscopy-guided lymphangiogram confirmed the chylous leak originating from the thoracic duct (TD) into the chest and did not opacify any central lymphatic vessel for direct transabdominal puncture. Retrograde transfemoral approach was adopted to catheterize the TD and selectively embolize its caudal portion using microcoils and liquid embolic adhesive. Recurrence of symptoms after 2 months indicated a redo catheterization to occlude the TD entirely using the same technique. The procedure was successful and the patient was discharged after 2 days with sustained clinical improvement at 24 months postoperative. In the context of refractory PB, end-to-end transvenous retrograde embolization of the TD appears to be an interesting alternative to more complex interventions such as transabdominal puncture, decompression, or surgical ligation of the TD.

SPECIFIC FEATURES OF THE ORAL MICROBIOME IN YOUNG CHILDREN WITH ARYNGOPHARYNGEAL REFLUX AND ITS ROLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF RECURRENT RESPIRATORY DISEASES.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To examine the composition of the oral microbiome in young children with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and its role the development of recurrent respiratory diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: There were examined 38 children with physiological gastroesophageal reflux (GER), 18 children with LPR who had a medical history of recurrent bronchitis and 17 healthy children (control group). The study included the collection of anamnesis, objective examination. The qualitative and quantitative microbial composition of the upper respiratory tract was performed obtained by oropharyngeal deep swab. Salivary pepsin level and IL-8 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Results: This research showed significant alterations in the oral microbiome of patients with GER and LPR as compared to healthy control. We found that gram-negative microbiota such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus spp. and Candida albicans were identified in children with GER and LPR compared to the healthy control. At the same time, the amount of such a representative of the normal microbiome as Streptococcus viridans in children with LPR was sharply reduced. There were established a much higher mean salivary pepsin level of the patients with LPR than in the GER and control group. We found the association between high pepsin levels, saliva IL-8 levels and frequency of respiratory pathology in children with LPR. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Our study confirms that increased levels of pepsin in saliva are a risk factor for recurrent respiratory diseases in children with LPR.

Clinical features and risk factors of plastic bronchitis caused by refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children: a practical nomogram prediction model.

Early assessment of refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) with plastic bronchitis (PB) allows timely removal of casts using fiberoptic bronchoscopic manipulation, which relieves airway obstruction and limit sequelae development. This study aimed to analyze clinical data for risk factors and develop a nomogram for early predictive evaluation of RMPP with PB. The clinical data of 1-14 year-old patients with RMPP were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were classified into a PB or non-PB group. The general characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory test results, imaging findings, and microscopic changes of the two groups were compared. A statistical analysis of the risk factors for developing PB was performed, and a nomogram model of risk factors was constructed. Of 120 patients with RMPP included, 68 and 52 were in the non-PB and PB groups, respectively. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, fever before bronchoscopy, extrapulmonary complications, pleural effusion, cough duration, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were identified as risk factors. A nomogram was constructed based on the results of the multivariate analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of the nomogram was 0.944 (95% confidence interval: 0.779-0.962). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test displayed good calibration of the nomogram (p = 0.376, R2 = 0.723). CONCLUSION: The nomogram model constructed in this study based on five risk factors (persistent fever before bronchoscopy, extrapulmonary complications, pleural effusion, cough duration, and LDH levels) prior to bronchoscopy can be used for the early identification of RMPP-induced PB. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) in children has been increasingly reported and recognized, which often leads to serious complications. • Plastic bronchitis (PB) is considered to be one of the causes of RMPP, and bronchoscopic treatment should be improved as soon as possible to remove plastic sputum thrombus in bronchus. WHAT IS NEW: • This study determined the risk factors for RMPP-induced PB. • The nomogram model constructed in this study prior to bronchoscopy can be used for the early identification of RMPP-induced PB, which facilitate the early bronchoscopic removal of casts, thereby promoting recovery and reducing cases with poor RMPP prognosis.

Clinical characteristics of plastic bronchitis and risk factors for recurrence in children / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the clinical characteristics of plastic bronchitis (PB) in children and investigate the the risk factors for recurrence of PB.@*METHODS@#This was a retrospective analysis of medical data of children with PB who were hospitalized in Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2012 to July 2022. The children were divided into a single occurrence of PB group and a recurrent PB group and the risk factors for recurrence of PB were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#A total of 107 children with PB were included, including 61 males (57.0%) and 46 females (43.0%), with a median age of 5.0 years, and 78 cases (72.9%) were over 3 years old. All the children had cough, 96 children (89.7%) had fever, with high fever in 90 children. Seventy-three children (68.2%) had shortness of breath, and 64 children (59.8%) had respiratory failure. Sixty-six children (61.7%) had atelectasis and 52 children (48.6%) had pleural effusion. Forty-seven children (43.9%) had Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, 28 children (26.2%) had adenovirus infection, and 17 children (15.9%) had influenza virus infection. Seventy-one children (66.4%) had a single occurrence of PB, and 36 cases (33.6%) had recurrent occurrence of PB (≥2 times). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that involvement of ≥2 lung lobes (OR=3.376) under bronchoscopy, continued need for invasive ventilation after initial removal of plastic casts (OR=3.275), and concomitant multi-organ dysfunction outside the lungs (OR=2.906) were independent risk factors for recurrent occurrence of PB (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Children with pneumonia accompanied by persistent high fever, shortness of breath, respiratory failure, atelectasis or pleural effusion should be highly suspected with PB. Involvement of ≥2 lung lobes under bronchoscopy, continued need for invasive ventilation after initial removal of plastic casts, and concomitant multi-organ dysfunction outside the lungs may be risk factors for recurrent occurrence of PB.

Social Inequalities: Do They Matter in Asthma, Bronchitis, and Respiratory Symptoms in Children?

Background: Social inequalities (e.g., poverty and low level of education) generate inequalities in health. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between indicators of social inequalities and the frequency of respiratory symptoms, asthma, and bronchitis in children. Material and Methods: In 2019, an epidemiological cross-sectional study on 3237 students from elementary schools in Silesia Voivodships (South Poland) was conducted. The students' parents completed a questionnaire based on the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Social inequalities in the children's families were determined according to parents' education and professional status (working vs. unemployed), self-assessment of economic status, and housing conditions. To determine the influence of social factors on the occurrence of asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory symptoms, the odds ratio (OR) was calculated. Results: Children living in apartments with traces of mold had a higher risk of developing asthma (OR = 1.5, 95%CI: 1.17-1.96; p = 0.002) or bronchitis (OR = 1.4, 95%CI: 1.13-1.72; p = 0.002), wheezing attacks at nights (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.01-1.93), wheezy in the last 12 months (OR = 1.6; 95%CI:1.24-2.08; p < 0.001), and chronic cough (OR = 1.9; 95%CI: 1.49-2.46; p < 0.001). Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) was associated with higher risk of cough (OR = 1.5 95%CI: 1.22-1.96; p < 0.001) and dyspnea in the last 12 months (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.04-2.00; p = 0.02). Low socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with increased risk of chronic cough (OR = 1.5; 95%CI: 1.09-2.03; p = 0.009) and increased risk of wheezy in the last 12 months (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.06-1.97; p = 0.008). Asthma and bronchitis were not dependent on parents' education or professional status. Conclusions: Social inequalities have significant impacts on the occurrence of respiratory symptoms, bronchitis, and asthma in children. Interventions aimed at preventing bronchitis and childhood asthma should also focus on social health determinants.

Roles of Ambient Temperature and PM2.5 on Childhood Acute Bronchitis and Bronchiolitis from Viral Infection.

Studies have associated the human respiratory syncytial virus which causes seasonal childhood acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis (CABs) with climate change and air pollution. We investigated this association using the insurance claims data of 3,965,560 children aged ≤ 12 years from Taiwan from 2006−2016. The monthly average incident CABs increased with increasing PM2.5 levels and exhibited an inverse association with temperature. The incidence was 1.6-fold greater in January than in July (13.7/100 versus 8.81/100), declined during winter breaks (February) and summer breaks (June−August). The highest incidence was 698 cases/day at <20 °C with PM2.5 > 37.0 µg/m3, with an adjusted relative risk (aRR) of 1.01 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.97−1.04) compared to 568 cases/day at <20 °C with PM2.5 < 15.0 µg/m3 (reference). The incidence at ≥30 °C decreased to 536 cases/day (aRR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.85−1.06) with PM2.5 > 37.0 µg/m3 and decreased further to 392 cases/day (aRR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.58−0.65) when PM2.5 was <15.0 µg/m3. In conclusion, CABs infections in children were associated with lowered ambient temperatures and elevated PM2.5 concentrations, and the high PM2.5 levels coincided with low temperature levels. The role of temperature should be considered in the studies of association between PM2.5 and CABs.

Plastic bronchitis: A rare complication following a motor vehicle collision.

Plastic bronchitis, more appropriately termed chyloptysis, is a rare and potentially fatal condition caused by chylous coating of the airways. These cast coating can dislodge and become an obstructive mass in the patient's airway, necessitating rapid intervention. PB is well described to occur following single ventricle physiology heart disease corrective procedures, particularly following Fontan procedures. It is less commonly seen in traumatic settings. We present the youngest known case of a traumatic injury induced plastic bronchitis. A 19-year-old man was involved in a motor vehicle accident with airbag deployment. The airbags struck him in the chest; however, the patient felt well at the time and did not seek medical attention. Several months later the patient began coughing up milky white masses identified as casts. He was initially diagnosed with asthma but did not respond to therapy. He ultimately was found to have evidence of thoracic duct injury. Options for therapy were discussed, including possible thoracic duct ligation. The patient opted to continue a lowfat diet and has remained cast free. This case highlights the importance of considering plastic bronchitis in patients with cast production and a history of trauma to the chest.

Transconduit approach for pulmonary vein stenting in an extracardiac Fontan and plastic bronchitis case.

Plastic bronchitis (PB) is a rare but severe complication in patients following the Fontan operation, the final palliative procedure for single ventricle heart disease. PB is characterised by the formation of rubbery casts of the tracheobronchial tree that may cause cough, wheezing, dyspnoea and hypoxia. Progressive airway obstruction may lead to asphyxia and death, and the overall mortality rate is 15.2%. Most patients receive a combination therapy from three different treatment strategies, that is, therapy for relief of airway obstruction, anti-inflammatory treatment and treatment to improve haemodynamics of the Fontan physiology. Therapy improving haemodynamics consists of optimising the Fontan circulation or cardiac function, antiarrhythmic therapy, inhibition of lymph leakage/production, decompression of the Fontan circulation and heart transplantation.We present the case of a child with PB after extracardiac Fontan operation, who was refractory to balloon angioplasty and surgical release for pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis. We decided to perform stent implantation for the right PVs through transconduit puncture instead of fenestration because the position of fenestration was too high to access the PVs. After PV stenting via the transconduit approach, she experienced improvement in cough, wheezing and breathlessness, and a significant reduction in airway cast formation.

Transcatheter Thoracic Duct Decompression for Multicompartment Lymphatic Failure After Fontan Palliation.

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic embolization therapy has proven effective for Fontan failure from plastic bronchitis or protein-losing enteropathy but not when multiple lymphatic compartments are involved; furthermore, embolization does not alter the underlying pathophysiology of lymphatic dysfunction. A technique for transcatheter thoracic duct decompression (TDD), rerouting the thoracic duct to the pulmonary venous atrium to treat multicompartment lymphatic failure is described and early outcomes presented. METHODS: Initially covered stents were used to channel the innominate vein flow inside of the cavopulmonary pathway into the pulmonary venous atrium. A modified approach was developed where covered stents redirected innominate vein directly to the left atrium via an extravascular course. Baseline and follow-up data on all patients undergoing TDD were reviewed. RESULTS: Twelve patients underwent TDD between March 2018 and February 2021 at a median age of 12 (range: 2-22) years. Lymphatic failure occurred in median of 3 compartments per patient (protein-losing enteropathy, ascites, pleural effusions, plastic bronchitis); 10 patients had lymphatic embolizations before TDD. TDD method was intra-Fontan tunnel in 4, direct approach in 7, and other in 1. There were no major procedural complications; 6 patients underwent subsequent procedures, most commonly to treat endoleaks. Lymphatic failure resolved in 6 patients, improved in 2, and was unchanged in 4 at 6 (range: 1-20) months follow-up. One patient died after TDD from Fontan failure. CONCLUSIONS: TDD is a promising new treatment for the failing Fontan physiology from multicompartment lymphatic failure. Additional work is needed to refine the technique and define optimal candidates.

Improving management of ventilator associated tracheitis in a level IV NICU.

BACKGROUND: There are no published guidelines regarding the diagnosis and treatment of ventilator-associated tracheitis (VAT) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). VAT is likely over-diagnosed and over-treated, increasing antibiotic burden and cost. LOCAL PROBLEM: Diagnosis and treatment of VAT were entirely NICU provider dependent. METHODS: Retrospective pre- and post-intervention chart reviews were performed. INTERVENTIONS: A VAT diagnosis and treatment algorithm was created for use in the care of intubated patients without tracheostomies. 3 plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles were used to implement change. RESULTS: Intubated patients treated for VAT with <25 PMNs on Gram stain decreased from 79% to 35% following the quality improvement (QI) initiative. Treatment of VAT with >7 days of antibiotic therapy decreased from 42% to 10%. CONCLUSION: Implementing a QI initiative to improve the diagnosis and treatment of VAT in the NICU decreased the percent of patients treated inappropriately for VAT.

Bronquitis plástica y cardiopatía en estadio Glenn / Plastic bronchitis and Glenn-stage heart disease

No disponible