Chronic pulmonary disease in a child with the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

The presence of chronic pulmonary disease is an uncommon finding in the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. The patient discussed herein presented with severe irreversible obstructive pulmonary disease characterized by marked hyperinflation, an increase in static lung compliance, and tracheal dilatation. A largely normal lung biopsy ruled out chronic pulmonary emphysema. Despite the similarity of this patient to those with the Mounier-Kuhn syndrome, the degree of tracheobronchial enlargement was not as great as is usually seen in this disorder although these anatomic changes may develop with time. The findings in this case demonstrate that any site within the tracheobronchial tree may be involved in the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and further emphasize the need to determine the degree of reversibility of obstructive lung disease in children.