title: Spontaneous healing of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (histiocytosis X).
abstract: A 3-month-old male infant presented with pallor, hepatomegaly (4.5 cm), splenomegaly (1.5 cm), anaemia (Hb 6 g/dl) and thrombocytopenia (16 X 10(9)/l). A liver biopsy was diagnostic for Langerhans cell histiocytosis (histiocytosis X). The patient's lymphocytes, co-cultured with neonatal lymphocytes, were positive for virus-like particles without reverse transcriptase activity. The hepatomegaly diminished after 6 months and a second liver biopsy showed decreased histiocytic infiltration. A second viral blood culture remained negative. After 14 months, the hepatomegaly had disappeared completely and there were no more abnormal haematological or clinical findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corbeel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eggermont
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desmyter
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Surmont
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Wolf-Peeters
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cobbaert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eykens
mesh_terms: D006644:Histiocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000097:blood; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous
chemical_list: D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase