2015 Dec;24(138):565-81. doi: 10.1183/16000617.0066-2015.

Author information

1
Nottingham Children's Hospital, UK Paediatric National Clinic, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK jayeshbhatt@hotmail.com.
2
Imperial College and Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
3
Dept of Paediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Amalia Children's Hospital Radboud, University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
4
Rare Diseases Service and Pediatric Neurology Unit, Edmond and Lilly Safra Pediatric Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer, Israel Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
5
Dept of Allergology, Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis, Children's Hospital, Goethe-University Theodor-Stern Kai, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
6
The A-T Society, IACR-Rothamsted, Harpenden, UK.
7
School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
8
Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
9
Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen and the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, Aberdeen, UK.
10
Nottingham Children's Hospital, UK Paediatric National Clinic, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK.

Abstract

Ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) is a rare, progressive, multisystem disease that has a large number of complex and diverse manifestations which vary with age. Patients with A-T die prematurely with the leading causes of death being respiratory diseases and cancer. Respiratory manifestations include immune dysfunction leading to recurrent upper and lower respiratory infections; aspiration resulting from dysfunctional swallowing due to neurodegenerative deficits; inefficient cough; and interstitial lung disease/pulmonary fibrosis. Malnutrition is a significant comorbidity. The increased radiosensitivity and increased risk of cancer should be borne in mind when requesting radiological investigations. Aggressive proactive monitoring and treatment of these various aspects of lung disease under multidisciplinary expertise in the experience of national multidisciplinary clinics internationally forms the basis of this statement on the management of lung disease in A-T. Neurological management is outwith the scope of this document.

PMID:
 
26621971
 
DOI:
 
10.1183/16000617.0066-2015
[Indexed for MEDLINE] 
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