Bronchial artery enlargement may be the cause of recurrent haemoptysis in Behçet's syndrome patients with pulmonary artery involvement during follow-up.

Haemoptysis occurring in a Behçet's syndrome (BS) patient with pulmonary artery involvement (PAI) during follow-up is usually regarded as PAI relapse. However, bronchial artery enlargement (BAE) may be the source of haemoptysis in some patients.A chart review at the end of December 2014 revealed 118 patients with PAI in our centre since 1979. Nine (all men) had recurrent haemoptysis during follow-up which could not be explained with relapse of PAI.Haemoptysis recurred a median of 1.5 years (IQR: 9 months-5 years) during follow-up. Thorax CT scans did not show relapse of PAI or emergence of BAE. The patients were treated empirically but continued to complain of occasional haemoptysis thereafter. BAE was detected in 8 patients after a median follow-up of 9 years (IQR: 5-12 years). Six patients underwent bronchial artery embolisation that was repeated in 3. One patient with severe pulmonary hypertension died 3 weeks later. The remaining 5 are under follow-up for between 5 months-9 years. Pulmonary infarction and mild hemiparesis occurred in 2 patients after embolisation. One patient died with haemoptysis before undergoing embolisation. Another one with small BAE is under follow-up for 8 years without embolisation. The source of bleeding could not be determined in 1 patient who is now haemoptysis free for 5 years.BAE may be the source of recurring and fatal haemoptysis in BS patients with PAI during follow-up. Embolisation appears to be a life-saving procedure.