Observations on the Relationship of Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia and Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis in Childhood: A Pathologic and Experimental Study

Typical cases of desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP) and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) in children have been compared with (a) a problem case which apparently showed features of both and (b) with similar appearances induced in rabbit lungs. On the basis of this comparison we suggest that DIP and PAP may have a common pathogenesis or that they may represent different stages or components of a single disease. Our experimental studies and the evidence of other workers seem to indicate previous sensitization to an unknown agent to be an important factor in determining which components of the disease process will dominate.