A Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Patient that Presented with Unilateral Panuveitis

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To describe a case of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) with ocular changes prior to the systemic changes.

Methods: A 53-year-old man presented with the chief complaint of decreased vision in his right eye. The patient was examined by ocular examination, slit lamp examination, optical coherence tomography, laboratory examination, abdominal ultrasound, and bone marrow biopsy.

Results: Ocular examination revealed uveitis OD and optical coherence tomography revealed macular edema OD. Laboratory examination demonstrated cytopenia in two cell lines, hypofibrinogenemia, and elevated serum ferritin. Abdominal ultrasound findings indicated hepatosplenomegaly. The bone marrow biopsy specimen demonstrated histiocytes and significant hemophagocytosis, leading to a diagnosis of HLH.

Conclusion: Ophthalmic manifestation can be the first sign of HLH and progress to fatal systemic changes.

Keywords:

• hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
• retina
• uveitis
• multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

FUNDING

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province of China (2013021061).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province of China (2013021061).