Clemax Couto Sant`Anna, Angélica Almada Horta, Mônica Tessinari Rangel Tura, Maria de Fatima Bazhuni Pombo March, Sidnei Ferreira,
Rafaela Baroni Aurilio, Débora Brandão Vieira
J Bras Pneumol.2007;33(6):743-746
Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH), the main cause of pulmonary hemosiderosis in children, is characterized by intermittent alveolar
bleeding and hemosiderin-laden macrophages in sputum and in gastric lavage. The treatment is based on corticosteroids and cytotoxic drugs, under special conditions. We describe the case of a 7-year-old girl with IPH who achieved partial clinical remission with high doses of corticosteroids. However, the treatment had to be discontinued because the patient developed Cushing's syndrome. Treatment was started with an azathioprine-corticosteroid combination and then changed to azathioprine alone, which was maintained for four years, with excellent results.
Keywords: Hemosiderosis; Azathioprine; Hemorrhage; Case reports [publication type].