title: Non-fatal haemophagocytic syndrome in an elderly patient.
abstract: A frail 78-year-old man presented with lethargy, fever, splenomegaly and pancytopenia. Bone marrow aspirate showed marked haemophagocytosis. A diagnosis of haemophagocytic syndrome secondary to diffuse splenic large B-cell lymphoma was eventually made. Treatment with laparascopic splenectomy was successful. Secondary haemophagocytic syndrome is a rare complication of many common conditions, and is fatal if untreated. A brief literature review is included.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Woodend Hospital, Aberdeen AB15 6LS, UK. roysoiza@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Roy L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Soiza
authors.forename: Sharmistha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: J Kenneth
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: McAlpine
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vickers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D051359:Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic / Q000209:etiology*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000150:complications*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male