Differential Diagnosis for Hemoptysis, Fever, and Weight Loss
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Tuberculosis (TB): This is a common cause of hemoptysis, fever, and weight loss, especially in endemic areas. TB is a chronic infection that can cause pulmonary damage, leading to hemoptysis, and is often associated with systemic symptoms like fever and weight loss.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Lung Cancer: This is another common cause of hemoptysis, and when combined with fever and weight loss, it suggests advanced disease. Lung cancer can cause obstruction, infection, or tumor necrosis, leading to these symptoms.
- Bronchiectasis: This condition involves chronic dilation of the bronchi, which can lead to recurrent infections, hemoptysis, and systemic symptoms like fever and weight loss.
- Pneumonia: Severe or recurrent pneumonia can cause hemoptysis, fever, and weight loss, especially if caused by certain pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus or Klebsiella pneumoniae.
- Do Not Miss diagnoses
- Pulmonary Embolism: Although less common, pulmonary embolism can cause hemoptysis, especially if there is infarction of lung tissue. It's crucial to consider this diagnosis, as it requires urgent anticoagulation.
- Goodpasture's Syndrome: This rare autoimmune disease causes glomerulonephritis and pulmonary hemorrhage, which can present with hemoptysis, fever, and weight loss. It's essential to diagnose and treat promptly to prevent renal failure.
- Wegener's Granulomatosis: Now known as Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA), this condition is a form of vasculitis that can affect the lungs and kidneys, causing hemoptysis, fever, and weight loss.
- Rare diagnoses
- Mitral Stenosis: This valvular heart disease can cause hemoptysis due to pulmonary congestion and edema, but it's less likely to cause fever and weight loss.
- Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation (PAVM): This rare condition involves abnormal connections between pulmonary arteries and veins, which can cause hemoptysis, but it's often asymptomatic and discovered incidentally.
- Lymphangitic Carcinomatosis: This condition involves metastatic cancer spreading to the lymphatic vessels in the lungs, causing hemoptysis, fever, and weight loss, but it's relatively rare.