Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection: A case report

Exp Ther Med. 2017 May;13(5):2480-2482. doi: 10.3892/etm.2017.4241. Epub 2017 Mar 20.

Abstract

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), also termed hemophagocytic syndrome, is a severe, life-threatening inflammatory condition that results from an excessive, prolonged and ineffective immune response. The syndrome occurs due to overactive macrophages from the bone marrow or lymph tissue that phagocytose erythrocytes leukocytes and platelets. HLH in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection has rarely been studied. The present case study described an uncommon case of this syndrome in combination with human immunodeficiency virus infection in a patient, who eventually succumbed to severe infection and multiple organ failure following the refusal of medical treatment.

Keywords: hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis; human immunodeficiency virus infection; multiple organ failure.