Postinfectious Bronchiolitis Obliterans (PIBO) Among Children in Malaysia: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: Postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) is an irreversible obstructive lung disease following lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in children, especially during the first three years of life. It is estimated that 1% of LRTI in children will develop into PIBO; however, the local data are scarce. Aim: To describe the characteristics of the children less than 5 years old diagnosed with PIBO from the year 2015-2019 (5 years period). Methodology: Retrospective study involved ten hospitals under MOH visited by a Respiratory Paediatrician. Children less than 5 years old diagnosed with PIBO between 1st January 2015 and 31st December 2019. Results: Sixty children were included with male predominance (60.0%), and majority were Malay (83.4%). The median age at diagnosis was 15.0 months (IQ range 10.25-25.5 months) ranging between 2.0 and 80.0 months. Seventeen (28.3%) of the children were born prematurely (