Complete recovery of histiocytic medullary reticulosis‐like syndrome in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract

A 6‐year‐old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) developed a haemophagocytic syndrome resembling histiocytic medullary reticulosis (HMR) but made a complete recovery on supportive treatment. This was subsequently found to have been associated with a parainfluenzal infection. It is suggested that HMR in immunocompromised hosts may represent a reactive process to an opportunistic viral infection and that the use of chemotherapy in these patients may be deleterious. Copyright © 1983 American Cancer Society