Hemosiderosis is a rare, often fatal, condition in which iron
builds up in the lungs. The iron is in the form of hemosiderin,
a pigment in blood. Hemosiderosis results from bleeding into the
lungs, also known as pulmonary hemorrhage. This condition
usually shows up between the ages of 6 months and 20 years.
Blood that leaks out of the capillaries is taken up by scavenger
cells in the lung. The breakdown products of the blood irritate
the lung and lead to scarring. Symptoms include: cough,
producing blood-tinged sputumrapid breathingwheezing, or
shortness of breathairway obstructionacute otitis media, or ear
infectionrunny nosestomach upset, diarrhea, vomiting, and
abdominal distressfailure to thrive, a condition in which an
infant or child does not gain weight and grow normallycyanosis,
a blue tinge in the skin coloranemia, a low red blood cell count
that causes skin pallor, or palenessfatigueweaknesslethargy, a
feeling of excessive tirednessliver disease, such as cirrhosis
Hemosiderosis is often linked with