Idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage in infancy. Clinical features and management with high frequency ventilation.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical characteristics of infants with severe acute pulmonary hemorrhage and the effects of mechanical ventilation on gas exchange.


METHODS
Tertiary care pediatric ICU in a university hospital.


METHODS
Case records of patients with severe acute pulmonary hemorrhage from January 1992 to July 1995 were reviewed. Acute pulmonary hemorrhage was defined as hemoptysis and/or epistaxis or blood obtained from endotracheal tube which could not be attributed to cardiac or vascular malformation, infectious process, or known trauma.


METHODS
Patients were initially managed with conventional ventilation. High frequency ventilation (HFV) was utilized when hypoxemia (PaO2/PAO2 < 0.2) and/or respiratory acidosis (PaCO2 > or = 60 mm Hg with pH < 7.25) persisted.


RESULTS
Six African-American male infants from Detroit, with a median age 2.3 months, presented with severe acute pulmonary hemorrhage. Chest radiographs showed diffuse bilateral infiltrates or opacification with a normal sized heart. All infants were managed with HFV, four by oscillation and two by jet. The indications for HFV were persistent hypoxemia (2), respiratory acidosis (1), and a combination of both (3). There was an improvement in pH and PaCO2, and a decreased need for oxygen 6 and 24 h after initiating HFV. PaO2/PAO2 and oxygenation index showed a tendency toward improvement. All infants survived, and there were no complications. No cause for pulmonary hemorrhage was found in any of the infants.


CONCLUSIONS
Idiopathic acute pulmonary hemorrhage is a potentially life-threatening disorder encountered among inner-city infants. HFV is highly effective and safe in rapidly reversing the severe oxygenation and ventilation deficits in this setting.
Pappas
M D
MD
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit 48201, USA.
Sarnaik
A P
AP
Meert
K L
KL
Hasan
R A
RA
Lieh-Lai
M W
MW
D000208:Acute Disease; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006612:High-Frequency Ventilation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange