Assessment of Severity of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) in Children: Analytical Study of Risk Factors and Prognostic Parameters

The child interstitial lung diseases (chILD) are a group of chronic lung diseases resulting from pathological changes of alveolar wall and capillary units.The epidemiology of the various forms of chILD is difficult to establish. small studies have suggested an approximate incidence of 0.5-0.8 cases per 100 000 children The prevalence is estimated to be 3.6 and 1.32 per million in the UK and Germany, respectively. but there are no recorded studies for its prevalence in Egypt due to the lack of standardized definitions , the inadequacy of organized reporting systems, and the variety of pathological conditions. In addition, clinical presentation is often nonspecific, contributing to a poor recognition of these disorders and confusion with other chronic pulmonary diseases .

childhood interstitial lung disease may be considered if the child meets at least three of the criteria presented (1) Respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, difficult breathing, exercise intolerance). (2). Respiratory signs (e.g., retractions, tachypnea, clubbing, failure to thrive). (3). Hypoxemia. (4). Diffuse parenchymal abnormalities on chest imaging .

The causes of chILD often remain undetermined. These diffuse lung disorders are chronic, and often have high morbidity and mortality .

Mortality from childhood interstitial lung diseases ranges from 15 to 60% in different research reaching up to 100% in genetic and developmental causes.

There are many challenges and uncertainties for the early and correct diagnosis of interstitial lung disease in the pediatric patient. Three major challenges include, First , the fact that interstitial lung disease is less common in infants and children compared with adults. Therefore, most clinicians and radiologists are less familiar with considering and recognizing interstitial lung disease in this patient population.