Two Cases of Thrombocytopenia, Anasarca, Fever, Reticulin Fibrosis/Renal Failure, and Organomegaly (TAFRO) Syndrome with High Serum Procalcitonin Levels, Including the First Case Complicated with Adrenal Hemorrhaging

Intern Med. 2017;56(10):1247-1252. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.56.7991. Epub 2017 May 15.

Abstract

Thrombocytopenia, Anasarca, Fever, Reticulin fibrosis/Renal failure, and Organomegaly (TAFRO) syndrome is a recently described systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis/renal failure, and organomegaly. It has an acute or subacute onset of unknown etiology, although some pathological features resemble those of multicentric Castleman disease. We here report two cases of TAFRO syndrome. The symptoms and pathological findings in these cases met the 2015 diagnostic criteria. Our cases showed high serum procalcitonin levels, suggesting bacterial infection as an onset trigger. In addition, Case 1 is the first case complicated with adrenal hemorrhaging. Case 2 is the second case of tocilizumab-resistant TAFRO syndrome successfully treated with rituximab.

Keywords: Castleman disease; TAFRO syndrome; adrenal hemorrhage; procalcitonin; rituximab.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Gland Diseases / complications
  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use*
  • Asian People
  • Calcitonin / blood
  • Edema / diagnosis*
  • Edema / drug therapy
  • Female
  • Fever / diagnosis*
  • Fever / drug therapy
  • Fibrosis / diagnosis*
  • Fibrosis / drug therapy
  • Hemorrhage / drug therapy
  • Hemorrhage / etiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • POEMS Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • POEMS Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Renal Insufficiency / diagnosis*
  • Renal Insufficiency / drug therapy
  • Reticulin
  • Thrombocytopenia / diagnosis*
  • Thrombocytopenia / drug therapy
  • Thrombocytopenia / therapy
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Reticulin
  • Calcitonin
  • tocilizumab