BACKGROUND:

Post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) is a childhood chronic pulmonary disease, sequelae of an acute bronchiolitis during the first months of life. PIBO has been reported at low altitudes and at sea level but there are not follow up reports from altitudes higher than 2,500 m. The aim of this research was the description of the main features and prognosis of children with PIBO in Bogotá-Colombia at 2,640 m above sea level.

METHODS:

PIBO cases were derived from a paediatric pulmonology reference clinic. Diagnosis was made according to the medical literature recommendations. The study was carried out from January 2015 to June 2016 and had both a retrospective component and a prospective one.

RESULTS:

We found 21 PIBO cases. The mean follow up time was 5.6 years and the mean age for the initial event was 6.7 months; 76% of the patients were male and 76% required mechanical ventilation in the initial episode. The evolution was from medium to poor in 71% of the cases; 33% patients had bronchiectasis and 43% had pulmonary hypertension in their first evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS:

This is the first PIBO follow up study published from altitudes above 2,500 m. The main factors associated with PIBO developing and the disease prognosis are in accordance with descriptions at low altitude and sea level.