Intravascular Lymphoma as an Uncommon Cause of Anasarca

Abstract

Objectives: To report a case of intravascular lymphoma (IVL) in a Caucasian patient who presented with anasarca as his sole clinical sign.

Material and methods: A man presented with anasarca-type oedema and fatigue. After excluding heart failure, hepatic cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome, hypothyroidism, AL-amyloidosis and adverse drug reaction which can all cause oedema, we turned our attention to capillary permeability disorders.

Results: Closer review of the bone marrow aspirate demonstrated haemophagocytic histiocytosis, while core, renal and duodenal biopsies showed a B-cell IVL.

Conclusion: The differential diagnosis of anasarca, a relatively common clinical sign, should include IVL although the diagnosis may still be challenging.

Learning points: Anasarca-type oedema is an unusual initial presentation of intravascular lymphoma (IVL) and is normally attributed to capillary permeability disorders.Two clinical forms of IVL have been recognized: a Western form and an Asian variant which is characterized by haemophagocytosis.Patients of Caucasian origin who have the clinical features of the Asian variant of IVL make the diagnosis of this condition even more challenging.

Keywords: Anasarca oedema; haemophagocytosis; intravascular lymphoma.

Figure 1

Representative photographs of immunohistochemical staining with diaminobenzidine (A,B 200× magnification, C 400×). (A) Arrow indicates intravascular lymphocytes with enlarged nuclei in bone marrow biopsy sample stained with CD34 antibody. (B,C) Arrows indicate aggregates of intravascular lymphocytes stained positively with CD20 antibody in duodenal and renal biopsy samples, respectively.