Bacterial and fungal causes of hemoptysis in patients of a tertiary care center in Western Uttar Pradesh.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the various bacterial, fungal and neoplastic causes of hemoptysis in patients of different age groups in a teaching hospital in western Uttar Pradesh (U.P) Materials & Methods: One hundred & Eighty patients who were admitted to the Department of Chest & T.B and in the Department of Medicine from Jan 2010 to Jan 2012 were included in this study. The patients were characterized on the basis of Clinical signs & symptoms, physical examination, complete blood count with platelets, bleeding time, clotting time, prothrombin time [clotting profile] chest radiography, CT scan, bronchoscopy, histopathological examination and microbial examination including culture of sputum & Bronchoalveolar Lavage. Results: Out of 180 patients admitted, 114 were males & 66 were females. The cause has been identified in 55 patients (32 males & 23 females) while in remaining cases the cause was undiscovered. Pulmonary tuberculosis was identified as the most leading cause of hemoptysis (38.16%) [Mycobacterium tuberculosis alone and M. tuberculosis with other bacteria in case of coinfection], followed by bacterial agents [Staphylococcus aureus (9.09%), Klebsiella spp (9.09%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.45%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (1.81%). Among the fungal agent we have found Aspergillus spp (10.9%) and Mucor in 1 case (1.81%). The other group of patients include the neoplasms (20.0%). Coinfection was seen among (14.54%) patients and the agents were [Mycobacterium tuberculosis & Pseudomonas aeruginosa] (5.45%), [M. tuberculosis & S. aureus] (3.63%), [M.tuberculosis & klebsiella spp] (1.81%), [Klebsiella & S.aureus] (3.63 %) Conclusion: In developing countries like India with such an increasing population, hemoptysis is one of the potentially life threatening symptom of underlying respiratory tract infection. An adequate & efficient evaluation of the etiological agents causing hemoptysis plays a pivotal role in management of such patients. The purpose of this study was to identify the different etiological agents along with the other causes of hemoptysis.