Pulmonary haemosiderosis in a 13-year-old girl with coeliac disease after 3 months on a gluten-free diet: case report and review of the literature

Ann Trop Paediatr. 2010;30(3):249-53. doi: 10.1179/146532810X12786388978841.

Abstract

A 13-year-old girl with controlled coeliac disease who had been on a gluten-free diet for the past 3 months was admitted with respiratory distress and hypoxia for the past week. Chest radiograph and CT scan showed bilateral widespread alveolar shadowing suggestive of a hypersensitive pneumonitis. There was a dramatic radiological and clinical response to oral corticosteroids. Bronchial lavage was suggestive of recurrent aspiration and histology of a transbronchial biopsy showed pulmonary haemosiderosis. We conclude that pulmonary haemosiderosis may occur in children with coeliac disease who are on a gluten-free diet.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adolescent
  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Celiac Disease / complications*
  • Celiac Disease / drug therapy
  • Celiac Disease / therapy*
  • Diet, Gluten-Free*
  • Female
  • Hemosiderosis / diagnosis*
  • Hemosiderosis / drug therapy
  • Hemosiderosis / pathology
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia / diagnosis
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Lung Diseases / drug therapy
  • Lung Diseases / pathology
  • Pneumonia / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia / drug therapy
  • Pneumonia / pathology
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents