Taquipnea persistente como manifestación inicial de hiperplasia de células neuroendocrinas: reporte de un caso clínico

Abstract

A review of the literature and presentation of a clinical case of Neuroendocrine Cell Hyperplasia in a male infant patient who begins his condition at 3 months of age with respiratory distress charac- terized by subcostal retractions and persistent tachypnea is presented. After 8 months of age hypoxe- mia is added requiring continuous oxygen therapy. He has a history of three hospitalizations, with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis and atypical pneumonia, respiratory viral panel has a negative report. The patient persists with respiratory symptoms despite medical treatments, so it is referred to pediatric pulmonology, initiating study protocol for interstitial lung disease of the infant. A high resolution chest tomography is performed, which evidences images in polished glass in the middle lobe and lingular region, in addition to air entrapment. The diagnosis of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia is concluded based on clinical and tomographic findings. Neuroendocrine Cell Hyperplasia is a rare interstitial pulmonary pathology, whose diagnosis is clinical and radiological. Lung biopsy is required only in the minority of cases for confirming diagnosis. It can be easily confused with other common respiratory diseases, so it is important to suspect it to make an early diagnosis. Most cases evolve with decline in symptoms, improving spontaneously in the first years of life.