Immunobiological aspects of acute subglottic laryngitis in children.

In the pathogenetic evaluation of acute subglottic laryngitis (ASL) the anatomy of the child's larynx should be taken into consideration: its absolute size need not necessarily be smaller than that of the adult, but its relative size with respect to the developmental stage of other organs, is. The most frequently seen anaphylactic reaction of the larynx in ASL is edema. Since 1975, 284 children with ASL have been treated in our Department of Otorhinolaryngology. They have been divided into the following groups: Group A--196 children with diseases of unknown etiology; Group B--20 children with identified viral infections; and Group C--68 children with allergic reactions. All children had their histories taken and they were all submitted to clinical examination, endoscopy, laboratory tests and allergy tests. Immunological and serological determinations, as well as lung function tests markedly facilitate the identification of etiologic factors in ASL and are of considerable help in planning a therapy and preventing any relapse of the disease.