Pilot Study of Bronchial Epithelium Changes in Children Aged 1 Month to 6 Years With Post-infectious Bronchiolitis Obliterans After Adenovirus or Rhinovirus Infection

What this Trial Is About

Bronchiolitis obliterans BO is a chronic lung condition that causes blockage or closure of the small airways and is irreversible. In children, this often develops after a serious lower respiratory infection, particularly involving adenovirus or rhinovirus. The diagnosis is usually delayed and relies on clinical signs, lung function tests, and imaging. The study aims to understand how the nasal lining epithelium is damaged in children who develop post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans PIBO following these viral infections, as the exact cause and treatment remain unclear. This observational, single-center study focuses on children aged 1 month to 6 years hospitalized with adenovirus or rhinovirus infections. Participants are divided into two groups those whose infection progresses to PIBO and those who do not. All children will have nasal swabs and brushings at the start. Children who develop PIBO will undergo additional procedures including bronchial endoscopy, biopsies, and washings at diagnosis and again at 6 months if partial treatment response occurs. The study evaluates differences in the respiratory epitheliums structure and function between groups. Participants will be monitored over an average of three years. Researchers will collect nasal and bronchial samples to study inflammation, antiviral responses, and gene activity related to tissue remodeling and disease progression. The main goal is to define epithelial damage in PIBO and understand the role of respiratory cells in its development. This involves detailed analysis of nasal and bronchial tissue morphology and function at multiple timepoints during the disease course.

Bronchial Epithelium of Children With Post-infectious Bronchiolitis Obliterans