OBJECTIVETo investigate the high-resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) features of infants with diffuse lung disease (DLD) for improving the diagnostic accuracy clinically.

METHODTotally 75 infants under 2 years of age with DLD (2010-2013) were involved in this study. Among them, 56 were males and 19 females, aged from 2 days to 24 months (mean age was 10.9 months). According to the clinical or pathological data, the cases were enrolled into three groups, including systemic diseases-associated infantile DLD (30 cases), alveolar structure disorders-associated infantile DLD (23 cases), and infantile DLD specific to infancy (22 cases). Retrospectively, HRCT images, from the three groups respectively, were analyzed and compared. HRCT presentations including airway disorders, interstitial disorders and air space disorders were reviewed. Inter-reviewers consistency check was performed, the consistency between reviewers was good (K = 0.64;P = 0.03, < 0.05), as well as χ(2) test.

RESULTAmong the three groups, some of the HRCT sings (bronchiectasis, thickened bronchiolar wall, mosaic sign, reticular, intralobular nodules and consolidations) had significant differences (χ(2) = 24.52, 6.08, 18.00, 12.56, 9.11 and 11.50, P < 0.05) .

CONCLUSIONThe HRCT features of infantile pulmonary DLD/interstitial LD with different causes were as follows, compared to the other two groups, intralobular nodules was the main feature of the systemic diseases-associated infantile DLD, thickened bronchiolar wall, mosaic sign and consolidations were rare as well. Meanwhile, bronchiectasis was more common in alveolar structural disorders-associated infantile DLD, and reticular opacity was rarely seen. Associated clinical data, the HRCT presentations would help clinicians to make accurate diagnosis.

Bronchial Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

Objective To explore the prevalence and clinical characteristics of food allergy in bronchial asth-matic children less than 14 years old in China. Methods A case - controlled study was designed. The questionnaires were given to children,who were diagnosed to be asthmatic during the national epidemiological survey of asthma in chil-dren in 31 cities from September 2009 to August 2010. Non - asthmatic children,matched with the cases in age and gender,were selected during the same survey as control subjects if they were matched with the cases in age and sex. In-formation regarding the food allergen and symptom of food - induced anaphylaxis was analyzed. The difference in food allergy was compared between children with or without bronchial asthma. Results As a result,9235 asthmatic children and 11391 control subjects were enrolled in the case - control study. There were 14. 66％(1354 / 9235 cases)of the asthmatic children who had food allergy,compared to 3. 99％(455 / 11391 cases)of the non - asthmatics children, and the findings showed a significant difference (χ2 = 725. 25,P < 0. 001). The most common food allergens were fish and shrimp in both groups,and the difference was not significant [44. 09％ (597 / 1354 cases)vs. 42. 20％ (192 / 455 cases),χ2 = 0. 50,P > 0. 05]. The rate of peanut allergy was 4. 58％ (62 / 1354 cases)and 1. 54％ (7 / 455 cases) (χ2 = 8. 58,P < 0. 05),respectively. And the rates of fruit allergy in the asthmatic group and the non - asthmatic group were 14. 03％(190 / 1354 cases)and 27. 69％(126 / 455 cases)(χ2 = 44. 01,P < 0. 05),respectively. Cutaneous and nasal symptoms were common clinical manifestations. The rates of rash,pruritus,and swelling sympions were 47. 27％(640 / 1354 cases)and 61. 32％(279 / 455 cases)(χ2 = 26. 90,P < 0. 001),respectively for asthmatic group and non -asthmatic group. Rates of nasal symptoms were 17. 13％(232 / 1354 cases)and 10. 55％(48 / 455 cases)(χ2 = 11. 29, P = 0. 001),respectively in the asthmatic group and the non - asthmatic groups. Respiratory symptoms,such as cough and wheezing,were 25. 33％(343 / 1354 cases)and 5. 49％(25 / 455 cases)(χ2 = 80. 72,P < 0. 001)in 2 groups. Twenty cases of 1354 asthmatic children had severe food allergy,while such severe conditions occurred only 1 child without asthma (455 cases)occurred severe condition (1. 48％ vs. 0. 22％,χ2 = 4. 96,P < 0. 05). Conclusion The-rate of food allergen sensitization is highly prevalent in the children with asthma. Compared to those without asthma, and their types of food allergen and clinical symptoms are different from the latter.