RESUMO
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the causes of stridor with respiratory distress and their clinical courses in children. METHODS: Children who were hospitalized in Samsung Medical Center due to stridor with respiratory distress without infectious causes were studied retrospectively. The causes of stridor, sex, age at onset, symptoms, combined diseases, treatment, and clinical courses were investigated. Fisher's exact test was used to assessing the association of risk factors with the severity of post-intubation subglottic stenosis. RESULTS: Of 75 cases, 15 (20 percent) were congenital and 60 (80 percent) were acquired. The prevalence in males was higher than in females. Common causes of congenital stridor were laryngomalacia, tracheomalacia, pulmonary artery sling and complete tracheal ring. Acquired stridor is usually due to subglottic stenosis secondary to endotracheal intubation. Risk factors such as frequency and duration of intubation, age at first intubation, birth weight and gestational age were not associated with the developement of post-intubation subglottic stenosis. (P> 0.05) More complicated surgical treatment was required according to the severity of subglottic stenosis. CONCLUSION: Congenital malformation of the airway requiring urgent surgical correction should be differentiated in children with stridor and respiratory distress. Post-intubation subglottic stenosis accounts for most cases of acquired stridor. Evaluation of it's severity, and careful airway care, is required in children with subglottic stenosis.