Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis

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Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis is a rare disorder that causes repeated episodes of bleeding into the lungs, leading to accumulation of iron (hemosiderosis) in the lungs.
Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis is a rare disorder that involves episodes of bleeding into the lungs (diffuse alveolar hemorrhage). The red blood cells that have leaked into the lungs break down and release iron, which accumulates in lungs and damages them (see also Hemosiderosis). Idiopathic means there is no detectable underlying disorder. It occurs mainly in children younger than 10 years but can also affect young to middle-aged adults. It is thought to be due to an underlying problem in the lung cells responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, possibly due to an autoimmune disorder. Some affected patients also have celiac disease.