Hemoptise em hospital de referência em pneumologia

Abstract

To determine the main causes of hemoptysis and to classify this symptom, in terms of the amount of blood expectorated, in patients hospitalized at a referral hospital for pulmonology. The study included 50 patients with hemoptysis admitted to the pulmonology ward of a general hospital in the city of Recife, Brazil, between July of 2005 and February of 2006. The data of interest were analyzed and compared with those in the literature. The most common cause of hemoptysis was infection--in 39 patients (78%)--mostly related to tuberculosis sequelae or active tuberculosis. Regarding the severity of hemoptysis, moderate hemoptysis, diagnosed in 28 patients (56%), was the most common. Our results suggest that all patients who present with hemoptysis should be investigated for infection.