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Primary pulmonary lymphangiectasia in infancy and childhood

Depts of ¹ Paediatrics (Division of Paediatric Pulmonology), ² Radiology, and ³ Pathology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

CORRESPONDENCE: P.M. Barker, Division of Paediatric Pulmonology, Dept of Paediatrics, 200 Mason Farm Road, CB 7220, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. Fax: 1 9199666179. E-mail: Pierre_Barker@med.unc.edu

Keywords: Growth, pathology, radiology, spirometry

Received: February 4, 2004
Accepted May 20, 2004

C.R. Esther Jr is supported by a Parker B. Francis Pulmonary Fellowship.

Primary pulmonary lymphangiectasia (PPL) is a rare disorder of unknown aetiology characterised by dilatation of the pulmonary lymphatics. PPL is widely reported to have a poor prognosis in the neonatal period and little is known about the clinical features of patients who survive the newborn period.

The current authors report the outcome in nine patients diagnosed in infancy with PPL over a 15-yr period at a single university-based hospital clinic and followed for a median of 6 yrs.

Although all of the patients initially experienced respiratory distress, respiratory symptoms improved in most patients after infancy and were notably better by the age of 6 yrs. Many patients had poor weight gain in the first years of life, which eventually improved. Radiological scans showed progressive resolution of neonatal infiltrates, but were characterised by hyperinflation and increased interstitial markings in older children. Most patients had evidence of bronchitis and grew pathogenic organisms from quantitative bronchoalveolar lavage culture. Pulmonary function tests showed predominantly obstructive disease that did not deteriorate over time.

In conclusion, these results suggest that primary pulmonary lymphangiectasia does not have as dismal a prognosis as previously described and symptoms and clinical findings improve after the first year of life.

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