Respiratory infections following haemopoietic stem cell transplantation in children.

Disorders of the respiratory system are well recognised following the administration of chemotherapy schedules; although respiratory complications may occur following less intensive regimens, they are most frequently seen following the administration of high dose chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy which is used in preparation for haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT). In this setting, respiratory complications may occur in up to 50% of patients and account for over 40% of all deaths; those patients who require admission to intensive care (ICU) requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation have a particularly poor prognosis, with less than 10% becoming long-term survivors.