A hyper-ferritinemia syndrome evolving in recurrent macrophage activation syndrome,as an onset of amyopathic juvenile dermatomyositis: A challenging clinical case in light of the current diagnostic criteria

Juvenile dermatomyositis is an immune-mediated inflammatory multi-system disease involving mainly striated muscles and skin. Typical dermatological features are fundamental to establish the diagnosis, especially whenever the myopathy is very mild or absent, as it occurs in the form called as amyopathic juvenile dermatomyositis. Sometimes, systemic rheumatic diseases can develop a hyperferritinemia syndrome characterized by hemophagocytosis, namely macrophage activation syndrome, which represents a severe and life-threatening complication. Here, we describe a complex clinical history characterized by a hyper-ferritinemia syndrome after infectious mononucleosis, leading to recurrent episodes of macrophage activation syndrome. Finally, the late onset of several skin changes brought to a diagnosis of amyopathic juvenile dermatomyositis.     

Trichosporon Asahii,Sepsis, and Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in Children with Hematologic Malignancy

Trichosporon asahii (T. asahii) is an uncommon fungal pathogen rarely seen in patients with hematologic malignancies. Although appropriate therapy is started, infection with T. asahii usually leads to mortality. Here, we describe two patients developed severe T. asahii infection and secondary HLH. Despite rapid identification of T. asahii and negative blood cultures achieved by prompt initiation of treatment with voriconazole, fever and pancytopenia, persisted and both developed hepatosplenomegaly, and their clinical state worsened. Bone marrow aspiraton revealed hemophagocytosis. Elevated ferritin, triglyceride levels were seen. The first patient did not receive HLH directed therapy and died with multiple organ dysfunctions. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of secondary HLH led to rapid improvement in clinical and laboratory abnormalities in the second patient and kept her alive. We suggest that HLH may present as a secondary condition, accompanying a severe infection with T. asahii may, at least in part, contribute to high mortality rates in these cases.     

59例成人EB病毒相关噬血细胞综合征临床特点和预后分析

目的:分析成人EB病毒相关噬血细胞综合征(EBV-HLH)患者的临床特点和预后危险因素,提高对该疾病的认识和诊治水平。方法:对2013年1月至2018年8月间南昌大学第一附属医院诊治的EBV-HLH 59例成人患者的临床特点和生存资料进行回顾性综合分析。结果:59例患者中以发热(100%)、肝功能异常(91.5%)最常见,皮疹(1.7%)、神经系统症状(3.4%)少见;血清铁蛋白升高(96.6%)、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)升高(96.6%)、白蛋白(Alb)下降(93.2%)及可溶性CD25(s CD25)水平≥2400 U/ml(92.3%)均比较常见。本组患者中位生存时间为2.5±0.7个月,1、3、6、12个月总体生存率分别是69.5%±6.0%、44.7%±6.6%、23.9%±5.8%和19.7%±5.5%。生存资料单因素分析显示,初诊时EBV-DNA拷贝数≥5×10^5拷贝数/ml(P=0.028)、LDH水平≥600 U/L(P=0.012)、Plt计数<20×10^9/L(P=0.022)的患者预后更差,系统使用HLH-94/2004方案治疗能有效改善EBV-HLH患者预后(P<0.001)。多因素分析显示,LDH水平≥600 U/L(P=0.01)、Plt计数<20×1~09/L(P=0.013)、未系统使用HLH-94/2004方案治疗(P<0.001)均是影响患者生存时间的独立预后不良因素。结论:EBV-HLH患者病情凶险,早期死亡率高,初诊时EBV-DNA拷贝数≥5×10^5/ml、LDH水平≥600 U/L、Plt计数<20×10^9/L的患者预后不良,HLH-94/2004方案治疗能有效改善患者生存情况,应尽早系统治疗。     

Clinical features and correct diagnosis of macrophage activation syndrome

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is increasingly recognized among febrile hospitalized patients. Clinically, MAS resembles multiorgan dysfunction and shock. Laboratory features include hepatobiliary dysfunction, coagulopathy, pancytopenia, hyperferritinemia and markers of immune activation. Pathologically, hemophagocytosis is commonly seen but is only present in 60% of MAS patients. MAS, or secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), is triggered by infectious (e.g., herpes family viruses), rheumatologic (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE]) and oncologic (e.g., T-cell leukemia) conditions. Formal HLH criteria, while specific, are frequently insensitive for MAS diagnosis. Thus, disease-specific (e.g., SLE) and generic MAS criteria have been published. Recently, novel criteria for MAS in children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) were developed and are a key focus of this review.     

Temperature sensitivity of human perforin mutants unmasks subtotal loss of cytotoxicity,delayed FHL,and a predisposition to cancer

The pore-forming protein perforin is critical for defense against many human pathogens and for preventing a catastrophic collapse of immune homeostasis, manifested in infancy as Type 2 familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL). However, no evidence has yet linked defective perforin cytotoxicity with cancer susceptibility in humans. Here, we examined perforin function in every patient reported in the literature who lived to at least 10 years of age without developing FHL despite inheriting mutations in both of their perforin (PRF1) alleles. Our analysis showed that almost 50% of these patients developed at least 1 hematological malignancy in childhood or adolescence. The broad range of pathologies argued strongly against a common environmental or viral cause for the extraordinary cancer incidence. Functionally, what distinguished these patients was their inheritance of PRF1 alleles encoding temperature-sensitive missense mutations. By contrast, truly null missense mutations with no rescue at the permissive temperature were associated with the more common severe presentation with FHL in early infancy. Our study provides the first mechanistic evidence for a link between defective perforin-mediated cytotoxicity and cancer susceptibility in humans and establishes the paradigm that temperature sensitivity of perforin function is a predictor of FHL severity.     

巨噬细胞活化综合征的研究进展

巨噬细胞活化综合征是一种多见于儿童慢性风湿性疾病的严重、致命性并发症,其发病机制尚不完全清楚,目前仍没有统一的诊断标准,早期诊断有一定难度。文章综述了近几年巨噬细胞活化综合征发病机制的研究新进展以及早期诊断的生物学标志物。[临床儿科杂志,2012,30(5):496-498]     

Lipoprotein Alterations and Plasma Lipoprotein Lipase Reduction in Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

ABSTRACT. Serum lipid abnormalities are common in familial hemophagocytic lymphohistocytosis (FHL), a disorder also characterized by fever, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia and a prominent lymphohistiocytic accumulation in the mononuclear phagocyte system. The lipoprotein pattern in nine children with FHL was studied with a quantitative method measuring cholesterol and triglycerides in each major class of lipoproteins. Triglycerides were markedly elevated during active FHL in serum, very low density lipoproteins, and low density lipoproteins. Cholesterol was increased in very low density lipoproteins whereas both triglycerides and cholesterol were extremely low in high density lipoproteins. These lipoprotein abnormalities, reversible on successful therapy, are compatible with a depressed lipolytic activity. Post-heparin levels of lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase in plasma were studied in four children and found to be markedly low during active FHL. We suggest that inflammatory cytokines, which may strongly suppress lipoprotein lipase activity, can be important mediators in the pathophysiology of FHL and that they may participate in the development of the lipid abnormalities.     

Griscelli syndrome: Report of Three Cases

The clinical features of three children with Griscelli syndrome and autopsy findings of two are presented. The patients were 5 years, 9 months, and 3 months old, respectively. Clinical features included partial albinism, hepatosplenomegaly, and various neurological symptoms. Light and electron microscopic studies of the skin were compatible with Griscelli syndrome. Postmortem examination of the viscera and central nervous system revealed lymphohistiocytic infiltration with erythrophagocytosis. Bilateral diffuse involvement of the central nervous system, cranial nerve, and spinal cord was detected in both cases.