We report the case of a 9-year-old girl with Down syndrome (DS) diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH). Although acute pneumonia complicated by hemolytic anemia was suspected, IPH was finally diagnosed on bronchoscopy. Treatment with prednisolone achieved good clinical response. An association between IPH and DS was not able to be identified, but immunological issues in DS may contribute to the onset of IPH. Recurrent and intractable respiratory symptoms with marked infiltrative shadows in the bilateral lungs and complicated by severe anemia in patients with DS should suggest IPH.
Keywords: Down syndrome; hemolytic anemia; hemoptysis; idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis; prednisolone.
© 2015 Japan Pediatric Society.