Pediatric Hemoptysis without Bronchiectasis or Cardiac Disease: Etiology, Recurrence, and Mortality

To describe the etiologies of hemoptysis in patients without pre-existing bronchiectasis or cardiac disease; to assess odds of recurrent hemoptysis by diagnostic category; and to assess odds of mortality by diagnostic category.

This retrospective case series included all patients with hemoptysis documented during an admission to Boston Children's Hospital from January 1, 2007 to June 1, 2017. Patients with bronchiectasis, congenital heart disease, primary pulmonary hypertension, bleeding above the glottis, hemoptysis before 38 weeks of corrected gestational age, hematemesis, foreign body, and trauma were excluded. Patients were also characterized by coagulation status. Primary outcomes were recurrent hemoptysis and death. Univariate analysis was performed to determine ORs for recurrence and death per diagnostic category with infection as the reference category.

In total, 257 patients met study criteria and were analyzed. The most common causes of hemoptysis were infection (n = 122), neoplasm (n = 58), and other diagnoses (n = 49). Of the patients with infection, recurrence was 28% and all-cause mortality was 12%. Neoplasm had lower odds of recurrence (OR 0.3, P = .012) but higher odds of mortality (OR 15.8, P < .001). Thrombocytopenia had lower odds of recurrence (OR 0.2, P = .005) but higher odds of mortality (OR 5.9, P < .001). Patients with a tracheostomy had higher odds of recurrence (OR 6.3, P < .001), but lower odds of death (OR 0.4, P = .042).

This study confirms that infection is the most common cause of hemoptysis in patients without severe underlying pulmonary or cardiac disease. Hemoptysis associated with neoplasm and/or thrombocytopenia confers mortality risk. Tracheostomy confers risk of recurrence. Future prospective research on diagnoses associated with hemoptysis is warranted.