The duration of tracheostomy dependence in patients with juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis

Background Tracheostomy is a vital therapy for juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (JORRP) to maintain an adequate airway in an emergency, yet the relationship between cannulation duration and prognosis has not been extensively explored. Objectives To investigate the predictive influence of the duration of tracheostomy dependence on JORRP remission. Materials and methods A retrospective review of JORRP patients (n = 77) with tracheostomy treated in Beijing Tongren Hospital was performed. Results The rate of decannulation was 72.7%. After decannulation for one year, the percentage of distal spread fell from 42.9 to 30.4%. Twenty-six of 77 patients (33.8%) had remission of their disease, 40 (51.9%) continued to have active disease while 11 (14.3%) died during follow-up. The cannulation duration was positively correlated with the overall duration of this disease (r = 0.6). The cut-off point of 34.9 months for cannulation duration indicated the highest predictive value of remission. Duration of cannulation >34.9 months (OR = 0.33) and distal spread (OR = 0.29) decreased odds of remission. Conclusion The study demonstrates that the time span before decannulation indicates the severity of disease and cannulation aggravates the distal spread. Patients with cannulation duration <= 34.9 months after tracheostomy are prone to possess a relatively pleasant prognosis.