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Sub-Category:

Small Airway Diseases

Number of Conditions: 1

Obliterative Bronchiolitis (Bronchiolitis Obliterans)

Specialty: Pulmonology

Category: Obstructive Lung Diseases

Sub-category: Small Airway Diseases

Symptoms:
chronic cough; shortness of breath; wheezing; fatigue; exercise intolerance

Root Cause:
Inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) of the small airways (bronchioles), leading to airflow obstruction.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis involves a combination of clinical history, physical examination, pulmonary function tests (showing obstructive patterns), high-resolution CT scans (showing mosaic attenuation), and, in some cases, lung biopsy for definitive diagnosis.

Treatment:
Management includes supportive care, removal of causative agents, medications to reduce inflammation, and, in severe cases, lung transplantation.

Medications:
Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ) to reduce inflammation, immunosuppressive drugs like mycophenolate mofetil or azathioprine to slow disease progression, and macrolide antibiotics such as azithromycin for anti-inflammatory effects. Bronchodilators like albuterol may be used for symptom relief.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, with prevalence varying based on underlying causes (e.g., post-lung transplantation, inhalational exposure to toxic fumes).

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Lung transplantation, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, exposure to toxic fumes (e.g., diacetyl in popcorn factories), autoimmune diseases, and viral infections.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Chronic and progressive; prognosis depends on the underlying cause and response to treatment. Lung transplantation may improve survival in severe cases.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Progressive respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension, secondary infections, and reduced quality of life due to persistent symptoms.