Morphological and Functional Pilot Study of the Bronchial Epithelium of Children With Post-infectious Bronchiolitis Obliterans

What this Trial Is About

Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is a rare, irreversible lung condition that causes blockage or closure of small airways, often developing in children after serious lower respiratory infections, mainly from adenovirus or rhinovirus. This study aims to understand the damage to the respiratory lining in children who develop post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) compared to those who do not. Researchers hypothesize that the nasal lining's structure differs between these groups and seek to characterize these differences over time. The study involves children aged 1 month to 6 years hospitalized with adenovirus or rhinovirus infections, divided into two groups: those who develop PIBO and those who do not. At the start, all children will have nasal swabs and brushings. Children who develop PIBO will undergo additional procedures including nasal brushing, bronchial biopsies, and bronchoalveolar washing at diagnosis and again after six months if treatment response is partial. This observational study follows participants over an average of three years. Participants will be closely monitored through clinical assessments, nasal and bronchial tissue examinations, and laboratory analyses to evaluate inflammation, antiviral responses, and changes in respiratory epithelium. Researchers will study how the nasal and bronchial linings change over time in PIBO cases and analyze molecular profiles from biopsies. The main outcome is defining the extent of epithelial damage in PIBO, with ongoing evaluation of inflammatory and antiviral factors during the study period.

Bronchial Epithelium of Children With Post-infectious Bronchiolitis Obliterans