Clinical spectrum of Swyer-James-Macleod syndrome in adults.

Objective: The aim of this study is to describe the clinical and imaging features of Swyer-James-Macleod syndrome (SJMS) in 9 adults.
Methods: We reviewed the charts of 9 patients diagnosed with SJMS at the King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over a 10 year period.
Results: The patients mean age was 38.1 years; males were more affected than females (7:2). Seven of the patients had symptoms referable to the chest and a similar number had compatible abnormalities on physical examination. The left lung was involved in all cases. Bronchiectasis was present in 7 (77.8%). Eight patients who underwent pulmonary function tests had combined defects. Two patients demonstrated significant reversibility. All patients had a stable course over at least before a 3 year follow-up period.
Conclusion: Swyer-James-Macleod syndrome has a diverse manifestations in adults and can mimic other pulmonary disorders, which may lead to incorrect diagnosis and inappropriate therapy. The course is generally a stable one.