New Therapeutic Horizons Amid Diagnostic Complexity: Neonatal Interstitial Lung Diseases
Keywords:
Neonatal ILD, surfactant protein deficiency, NEHI, PIG, genetic therapy, multidisciplinary care, respiratory distress, rare lung diseaseAbstract
Background: Neonatal interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) consist of a rare and heterogeneous group of conditions that result in high rates of respiratory morbidity and mortality. Its diagnosis is difficult because of overlapping characteristics with more frequent neonatal respiratory pathologies and a lack of awareness among clinicians.
Objective: By emphasising unmet therapeutic needs and the crucal role of multidisciplinary care, this review seeks to address the epidemiology, diagnosis, pathogenesis and therapeutic approach to ILD in neonates in a comprehensive format, with special attention to emerging therapeutic strategies and the importance of multidisciplinary care.
Methods: MethodA narrative review synthesizing contemporary literature including recent advances in genetic, imaging and therapeutic are relevant to neonatal ILD.
Results: Neonatal ILDs, especially the surfactant dysfunction disorders (SFTPB, SFTPC, ABCA3 mutations), NEHI, and PIG, are increasingly being recognized in clinical practice. Diagnosis has improved by high-resolution CT and next-generation sequencing. Treatment is largely supportive, but corticosteroids, hydroxychloroquine
and experimental therapies — including gene editing and stem cell applications — are being studied.
Conclusion: However,timely recognition of neonatal ILD is crucial to ensuring the best outcomes. Genetic-based personalized treatment strategies and interdisciplinary cooperation may provide new opportunities in the management of affected neonates to improve both survival and quality of life in these neonates.
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