REVIEW   

Minerva Medica 2018 June;109(3):239-47

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4806.18.05576-3

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Mild-to-moderate hemoptysis: a diagnostic and clinical challenge

Francesco GAVELLI ¹, Filippo PATRUCCO ² ✉, Giulia STATTI ¹, Piero E. BALBO ³

¹ Unit of Emergency Medicine, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Maggiore della Carità University Hospital, Novara, Italy; ² Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Città della Salute e della Scienza Hospitals, Turin, Italy; ³ Division of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Maggiore della Carità University Hospital, Novara, Italy

Mild-to-moderate hemoptysis is defined as the expectoration of blood or blood-streaked sputum originating from the lower respiratory tract, in volumes that do not immediately threaten the patient’s life. Nevertheless, it is a very common respiratory symptom and the list of underlying respiratory or non-respiratory diseases is vast, ranging from the most worrying to more easily manageable etiologies. In this narrative review, we have analyzed the most recent recommendations inferred from the literature, in terms of diagnostic as well as therapeutic approach.

KEY WORDS: Hemoptysis - Diagnosis - Respiratory tract diseases