Sweet's syndrome as the presenting symptom of hairy cell leukemia with concomitant infection by Mycobacterium kansasii.
A patient with Sweet's syndrome and leukopenia is reported. Hematological evaluation revealed hairy cell leukemia (HCL). The clinical picture was dominated by persistent fever, which is a common feature of both Sweet's syndrome and HCL. Since fever frequently reflects concomitant infection in HCL, a thorough search for infectious disease was performed. Blood cultures grew Mycobacterium kansasii. The patient recovered after treatment with recombinant interferon-alpha (r-IFN-alpha) and tuberculostatic drugs. Remarkably, the skin lesions completely regressed within 1 week after the start of r-IFN-alpha. In the literature, Sweet's syndrome is rarely mentioned as a feature of HCL. Mycobacterial disease, especially atypical mycobacteria, is relatively often seen in HCL.
Kramers
C
C
Department of Hematology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Raemaekers
J M
JM
van Baar
H M
HM
de Pauw
B E
BE
Horrevorts
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D016463:Sweet Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha