Etiological evaluation of stridor in children

Abstract

Background: Stridor is a harsh, vibratory sound produced when airway becomes partially obstructed, resulting in turbulent flow of air through large airways. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to find out the most common causes of stridor, according to the age group for the better management and outcome. Materials and Methods: The present study was a hospital-based observational study where in children between the age group of 0 and 5 years with stridor were studied over 1-year period at a tertiary hospital of south India from January 2017 to 2018. A total of 71 cases were included in the study. Children were subjected to chest X-ray, computed tomography scan, blood tests, laryngoscopy, and bronchoscopy according to requirement and findings complied and analyzed statistically. Results: Majority of the stridor cases were in the age group of <1 year, male outnumbered females. The etiologies of stridor in present study were croup (47.9%), laryngomalacia (19.7%), laryngeal diphtheria (12.7%), subglottic stenosis (7.04%), laryngotracheomalacia (2.8%), glottic web (1.41%), left vocal cord paresis with subglottic stenosis with tracheomalacia (1.41%), subglottic stenosis with tracheomalacia (1.41%), foreign body (1.41%), tracheomalacia (1.41%), and laryngeal papillomatosis (1.41%). Conclusion: Every child with stridor should be approached in specified protocol and causes should be evaluated.