Etiology, diagnostic modalities, and short-term outcomes of hemoptysis-a retrospective cross-sectional study from a tertiary care center in Qatar

Shakeel Ahmed; Mansoor Hameed; Mustafa Al-Tikriti; Khaled Elfert; Mousa Hussein; Mutaz Albakri; Rajvir Singh; Irfan Ul Haq; Mushtaq Ahmad; Merlin Thomas

doi:10.21037/jtd-23-939

Etiology, diagnostic modalities, and short-term outcomes of hemoptysis-a retrospective cross-sectional study from a tertiary care center in Qatar

J Thorac Dis. 2023 Dec 30;15(12):6634-6643. doi: 10.21037/jtd-23-939. Epub 2023 Dec 9.

Authors

Shakeel Ahmed¹, Mansoor Hameed^{2

3}, Mustafa Al-Tikriti², Khaled Elfert⁴, Mousa Hussein^{2

5}, Mutaz Albakri⁶, Rajvir Singh⁷, Irfan Ul Haq², Mushtaq Ahmad^{2

3}, Merlin Thomas^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Respiratory Medicine, Al Wakra Hospital, Al Wakra, Qatar.
² Department of Chest, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
³ Department of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
⁴ Department of Medicine, St. Barnabas Hospital Health System, New York, NY, USA.
⁵ Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, Hebron University College of Medicine, Hebron, Palestine.
⁷ Department of Cardiology Research, Heart Hospital, HMC, Doha, Qatar.

Abstract

Background: Hemoptysis is a concerning symptom characterized by the expectoration of blood from the respiratory tract, which can range from mild to life-threatening. It can be caused by various underlying conditions. Accurate diagnosis is critical for effective management. The causes of hemoptysis can vary depending on geographic location and the population's composition. In this study, we aimed to examine the etiology, diagnostic methods, and short-term outcomes of hemoptysis in Qatar, focusing on data from Hamad General Hospital (HGH), which serves as a major tertiary care center in the country. Qatar has a diverse and dynamic population, primarily composed of expatriate workers, especially from South Asia. Previous data on hemoptysis in Qatar was collected between 1997 and 2007, when the population was considerably smaller and less diverse. Given the substantial growth in population and diversity since then, this study sought to provide updated information on the causes and outcomes of hemoptysis in the region.

Methods: This is a retrospective single center observational data review from the largest tertiary care center of Qatar, HGH. Patients who presented to HGH from 01/07/2015 to 30/06/2018 with hemoptysis were included in the study. Descriptive and summary statistics were described and analyzed using SPSS version 23.

Results: A total of 172 patients met the inclusion criteria. Most of the patients were male (74.4%) with a mean age of 37.9±16.4 years. South Asians (43.6%) accounted for the majority followed by Qatari nationals (20.3%). Mild hemoptysis was recorded in 89.5% of patients while only 3.5% had severe hemoptysis. The mean duration of hemoptysis was 1.72±0.72 days. The most common etiology was respiratory infection in 72.6% of the patients followed by tuberculosis (TB) and bronchiectasis 7% each. All patients were managed with observation or antimicrobials except two of the patients with severe hemoptysis who required bronchial artery embolization (BAE). There were no reports of recurrence of hemoptysis or deaths until hospital discharge.

Conclusions: Respiratory infection is the most common cause of hemoptysis at our center. Mild hemoptysis is the major presentation and the majority improved with conservative treatment.

Keywords: Hemoptysis; Qatar; etiology; severe hemoptysis.