[Pulmonary hemosiderosis induced by cow's milk proteins: a discussion of a clinical case]

Pulmonary hemosiderosis (PH), a rare pathology, usually occurring during infancy and childhood, is characterized by numerous and repeated intra-alveolar bleedings, interstitial iron build-up with consequent progressive fibrosis and severe anemia. PH can be basically divided into 3 different categories: Primitive or idiopathic, involving a primitive deficit of antioxidizing enzymes in the erythrocytes in genetically predisposed subjects; Secondary, subsequent to chronic pneumopathy or cardiopathy; Associated with various pathologies including collagenopathies, glomerulonephritis, myocardiopathies, diabetes, steatorrhea, tireotossicosis. A particular type of Pulmonary Hemosiderosis, associated with allergy to cow's milk, has been described for the first time by Heiner. We present in this paper our personal experience of a young patient suffering from pulmonary hemosiderosis induced by cow's milk protein.