Hemophagocytic syndrome associated to hepatitis

Abstract

Hemophagocytic syndrome is characterized by increased proliferation and activation of antigen presenting cells (histiocytes) in bone marrow and other organs of the reticuloendothelial system as well as CD8+ T cells that threatens life of patients. The predominant clinical manifestations such as fever, cytopenia, hepatitis, coagulopathy, neurological symptoms and multiple organ failure are related to systemic inflammation. We report the case of an infant who started with jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting and malaise, at admission, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and biochemically with features suggestive of hepatocel-lular inflammation and progressive cholestasis with poor outcome, it was added persistent fever, seizures, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, elevated ferritin and hypertriglyceridemia integrating hemophagocytic syndrome with fatal outcome despite immunosuppressive therapy.