Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42678672›Full record

ArticleCanadian respiratory journal2026

The Value of Lung Biopsy in Infants up to 3 Months With Diffuse Lung Disease in a Resource-Limited Setting.

Pierre Goussard, Pawel Schubert, Lizelle van Wyk, Lynn Booysen, André Gie, Michael Urban, Jacques Janson, Savvas Andronikou, Ernst Eber

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Canadian respiratory journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Pierre GoussardDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, sun.ac.za.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1146-1307
Pawel SchubertDepartment of Pathology, Division of Anatomical Pathology, Tygerberg Hospital, National Health Laboratory Service, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa, sun.ac.za.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4422-7349
Lizelle van WykDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, sun.ac.za.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9245-3282
Lynn BooysenDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, sun.ac.za.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1505-4710
André GieDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, sun.ac.za.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9001-3387
Michael UrbanDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, sun.ac.za.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9392-0206
Jacques JansonDepartment of Surgical Sciences, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, sun.ac.za.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6029-9487
Savvas AndronikouDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, chop.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1015-9790
Ernst EberDepartment of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria, medunigraz.at.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7628-030X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionNeonatal lung biopsy guides management of unusually severe, diffuse lung disease with an uncertain diagnosis. Childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) constitutes a diverse group of uncommon respiratory diseases which are associated with major morbidity and mortality. The incidence, outcome and mortality of chILD and other severe respiratory diseases in resource-limited settings (RLS) are unclear.

objectiveThis retrospective, descriptive study examined lung biopsy in an RLS on infants up to 3 months of age to diagnose and facilitate management. This study included neonates with severe respiratory distress not responding to surfactant replacement.

resultsLung biopsy was diagnostic in 94% (29/31) of patients without procedure-related mortality. The mean gestational age at birth was 35.8 weeks (SD ± 4.6). The mean presentation age was 20 days of life (IQR 1-28). Of 31 participants, 16% (n = 5) had histological findings in keeping with pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis (PIG) only. Sixteen percent (n = 5) of biopsies showed findings in keeping with adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette subfamily A member 3 (ABCA3) deficiency in combination with features of PIG on electron microscopy. Surfactant protein (SFTP)-B deficiency and undefined surfactant deficiency were equally prevalent (6% (n = 2). Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) featured in 61% (n = 17) of infants. Genetic testing was performed on 29% (n = 9) of infants, with 56% (n = 5) showing normal results. The cohort mortality was 42% (n = 13).

conclusionsChILD should be considered in neonates with severe respiratory distress and PHT not responding to surfactant replacement. Lung biopsy is safe and diagnostic and may prevent long and futile treatment. Histopathological diagnosis frequently assists treatment decisions. Future multicentre studies should include children from an RLS to collect information on diagnoses, genetics and treatment responses.

Indexed as

LungLung Diseases, InterstitialRespiratory Distress Syndrome, NewbornATP-Binding Cassette TransportersBiopsyFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleResource-Limited SettingsRetrospective StudiesABCA3 protein, humanATP-Binding Cassette Transporterschildhood interstitial lung diseasesgenetic testinglung biopsypulmonary hypertensionterm neonate

Identifiers

PMID42678672
PMCPMC13533072

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.