Pulmonary function tests after bone marrow transplantation in children - authors own observations

Introduction. Graft versus host disease (GvHD) is a frequent complication in children after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT), and it may affect many organs, including lungs. Observations of the clinical symptoms and spirometric testing of pulmonary function can be used to diagnose GhVD in the lungs and to assess the effectiveness of the applied treatment. Aim of the study. The aim of this study was prospective estimate of lung function in children after BMT. Material and methods. Clinical examinations and lung function tests in 49 children after BMT revealed normal pattern of lung function in 42.8 cases, restrictive pattern in 16.3% patients, and obstructive pattern in 6.2% cases, and the remaining children showed mixed pattern of the abnormalities. Results. After 6 months, 8 children with mixed pattern changed to obstructive pattern, and in 9 patients lung function returned to normal. Four children with originally normal pattern of lung function developed the obstructive pattern. In 5 children with the obstructive pattern lung function, the abnormalities receded. Conclusions. The high frequency of lung function abnormalities found in this study suggests that a careful functional monitoring in all subjects undergoing BMT is necessary, even in the absence of respiratory symptoms.