[Langerhans cell histiocytosis and sclerosing cholangitis in adults].
BACKGROUND
Langerhans cell histiocytosis and sclerosing cholangitis are two rare diseases that are frequently linked in children, but very rarely so in adults.


METHODS
A 40 year old woman with a 17 year history of Langerhans cell histiocytosis with chronic respiratory failure and diabetes insipidus presented with cholestatic jaundice whilst being assessed for lung transplantation. Pathological examination demonstrated sclerosing cholangitis. No Langerhans histiocytosis lesions were found in the liver or the biliary tract. Plans for pulmonary and hepatic transplantation were abandoned after cerebral involvement was detected, and the patient died of acute hepatic failure.


CONCLUSIONS
This case underlines the need to monitor liver function in adult patients with disseminated Langerhans histiocytosis associated in adults, as coexisting sclerosing cholangitis is associated with a poor prognosis.
Gey
T
T
Clinique des Maladies respiratoires, Hôpital Albert Calmette, CHRU Lille, boulevard de Professeur Jules Leclercq, 59037 Lille Cedex, France.
Bergoin
C
C
Just
N
N
Paupard
T
T
Cazals-Hatem
D
D
Xuan
K H
KH
Tavernier
J-Y
JY
Wallaert
B
B
D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D015209:Cholangitis, Sclerosing / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology