[Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma accompanied by pure red cell aplasia]

Abstract

A 71-year-old woman was admitted in December 2002 because of lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly and pleural effusion. She had severe anemia with hemoglobin 5.9 g/dl and a reticulocyte count of 1% per hundred. Direct/indirect Coombs tests and anti-double stranded DNA antibody were positive, her serum CH50 level was reduced and an increase in serum LDH isoenzyme 3 was observed. Bone marrow aspiration showed an almost total absence of erythroblasts and no pathological cell proliferation. The diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AILT) was made based on the lymph node histological findings. Proliferation of arborizing small vessels with hyperplastic endothelium and infiltration of atypical T-lymphocytes were observed. After combination chemotherapy (THP-COP), remission was achieved in both the pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) and AILT. Remission was also accompanied by normalization of the Coombs tests, suggesting that autoimmune mechanisms in AILT may contribute to the development of PRCA.