Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis. Clinical, radiological, and respiratory function studies.

Abstract

Eleven cases of idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis were studied over a 10-year period. The main clinical features were irondeficiency anemia and mild recurrent hemoptysis. Pulmonary opacities which changed in a few days were constantly seen radiologically during the acute episodes. In addition, permanent reticulation and miliary-type stippling were present in the children who developed lung fibrosis. Respiratory function tests, including diffusing capacity of lungs, were studied in five children and an attempt was made to correlate lung structure and function. Diagnosis was confirmed by necropsy or by the finding of siderophages in sputum, gastric washing, pulmonary puncture, or surgical lung biopsy. The last procedure was the only method by which the disease was diagnosed in three children after the other methods were negative.