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Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology
2005 April, Vol. VIII, No. 1 (2874-2885)
PULMONARY COMPLICATIONS OF SYSTEMIC DISEASES
Robert Dinwiddie, Samatha Sonnappa
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London, UK
The article presents a wide spectrum of systemic diseases (connective tissue diseases, lung vasculites, systemic necrotizing vasculitis, hereditary connective tissue disorders, congenital storage disorders, etc.) with respect to lung complications, arising particularly in children. Complications of systemic diseases are rare in childhood, but they account for marked mortality rates. Connective tissue diseases and lung vasculites have been discussed in detail as they are responsible for the most serious lung complications. In the majority of those cases early proper diagnosis and treatment is associated with more favourable outcome of the disease. Functional, radiological, laboratory and histological investigations have different valuations in diagnosis of lung complications in children with systemic diseases. High resolution CT is a very valuable tool for diagnosing and follow-up of lung complications in children with systemic diseases in progress. Pharmaceutical, surgical and instrumental means to cure lung complications in patients with systemic diseases are briefly described.