OBJECTIVETo investigate the causes, clinical features, therapy and treatment outcomes of recurrent hemoptysis in children and to improve the skills of pediatricians in the etiological diagnosis and treatment of recurrent hemoptysis in children.

METHODSThe clinical, laboratory, and imaging data of 39 children with recurrent hemoptysis between January 1996 and February 2013 were collected to retrospectively analyze the age of onset, etiology, amount of hemoptysis, imaging changes, treatment methods, and follow-up outcomes.

RESULTSIn the 39 children, including idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (16 cases, 41%), pulmonary vascular malformation (8 cases, 21%), pulmonary arteriovenous fistula (7 cases, 18%), bronchiectasis (3 cases, 8%), pulmonary tuberculosis (2 cases, 5%), pulmonary cystic fibrosis (2 cases, 5%), and lung tumor (1 case, 3%). The contrast-enhanced lung CT scans and pulmonary and bronchial arteriography revealed varying degrees of lung imaging changes in 35 cases. Of all cases, 51% were classified as degree I, 28% as degree II, and 21% as degree III. All children were treated according to the etiology, with the disease controlled. During 0.5-5 years of follow-up, 3 patients with idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis were lost to follow-up, and the other cases did not develop hemoptysis again.

CONCLUSIONSIdiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis is the main cause of recurrent hemoptysis in children. Contrast-enhanced lung CT scans and pulmonary and bronchial arteriography are important methods for the etiological diagnosis of recurrent hemoptysis in children. Treatment methods should be selected according to the etiology.