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The significance of multidisciplinary team meetings in diagnosing and managing childhood interstitial lung disease within the RespiRare network. 2024

Julie Cassibba, and Ralph Epaud, and Laureline Berteloot, and Sabrina Aberbache, and Lauren Bitton, and Camille Fletcher, and Manon Fleury, and Céline Delestrain, and Harriet Corvol, and Alix de Becdelièvre, and Raphaël Borie, and Marie Legendre, and Aurore Coulomb l'Herminé, and Camille Louvrier, and Céline Lustremant, and Meryem Sari Hassoun, and Chiara Sileo, and Alice Hadchouel, and Nadia Nathan

Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Reference Center for Rare Lung Diseases, RespiRare, Armand Trousseau Hospital, APHP, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.

BACKGROUND Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD) represents a rare and severe group of diseases for which the etiologic workup, classification, and management remain a challenge for most pediatric pulmonologists. In France in 2018, the RespiRare network established the first multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTm) dedicated to chILD. This study aims to investigate the impact of MDTm in chILD diagnosis and management as well as user satisfaction. METHODS The MDTm took place on a monthly basis through video conferences. The participants consisted of a quorum and included pediatric pulmonologists, radiologists, geneticists, and pulmonologists, with an average of 10.5 participants per meeting. Patients provided consent to participate in MDTm and for data collection. Data were retrospectively extracted from MDTm reports. To evaluate the usefulness of the MDTm and the satisfaction of the participants, a survey was sent by email at least 3 months after the MDTm to the participants. RESULTS A total of 216 chILD cases were discussed during 56 MDTm sessions. The median age of onset was 0.5 years (interquartile range 0-7). The MDTm sessions resulted in the correction of chILD etiology in 25% of cases (neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy 17%, surfactant metabolism disorder 8%, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis 4%, hemosiderosis 3%, sarcoidosis 3%, and others 34%), and chILD was ruled out in 7% of cases. A change in therapy was proposed for 46% of cases. User satisfaction was significant, particularly regarding their confidence in managing these rare diseases. CONCLUSIONS Dedicated MDTm sessions offer a unique opportunity to enhance chILD etiologic diagnosis and management, leading to increased physician knowledge and confidence in managing these patients.