CASE REPORT
Reactive hemophagocytic syndrome in a case of systemic lupus erythematosus that was diagnosed by detection of hemophagocytosing macrophages in peripheral blood smears
Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, 4-1-22 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8935, Japan
(2)
Department of Hematology, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan
(3)
Department of Pathology, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan
Received: 28 November 2005 Accepted: 20 March 2006
AbstractA 38-year-old woman with pancytopenia and liver dysfunction was diagnosed with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). On days 9 and 10 of admission, peripheral blood smears showed macrophages phagocytosing platelets, and reactive hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) was diagnosed. Hemophagocytic syndrome was successfully treated with high-dose prednisolone therapy and one course of methylprednisolone pulse therapy. Detection of hemophagocytosing macrophages in peripheral blood smears would be a useful and noninvasive method of diagnosing SLE-associated HPS.
