[The reactive hemophagocytic syndrome associated with infection: a study of 3 cases]

Abstract

Reactive hemophagocytic syndrome (RHS) or hemophagocytic histiocytosis is a disease with anatomo-pathological features of systemic proliferation of non-neoplastic histiocytes, with prominent hemophagocytosis, associated to infection of other diseases. The cases of three patients afflicted with RHS are presented. 2 of them secondary to a brucellosis and the other of unknown origin. The clinical features were similar: high fever, wasting, and splenomegaly. Pancytopenia existed together with liver disfunction, CID and hyperferremia. Marrow infiltration of reactive histiocytes with important hemophagocytic phenomenon, demonstrated by aspirated and bone marrow biopsies, were observed in all cases. Studies of the immunology system were performed, showing changes in two of them. All of them fully recovered after antibiotic treatment.