title: Autoimmune manifestations in acquired idiopathic splenic atrophy: A puzzling association.
abstract: Splenic atrophy is an uncommon diagnosis associated with celiac sprue or other well-characterized connective tissue diseases, drepanocytosis, or amyloidosis. We report two patients with splenic atrophy revealed by thrombocytosis. Both patients had anti-nuclear antibodies. Patient 1 also had a grade III Chisholm lymphocytic sialadenitis with a rheumatoid factor, anti-extractable nuclear antibodies, and a polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia consistent with the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome. Patient 2 displayed a previous history of idiopathic pericarditis. An anti-pneumococcal vaccination was given to both patients and neither experienced infectious complications. Splenic atrophy should be suspected in patients with thrombocytosis of unexplained origin and a blood smear consistent with asplenia. Such patients must be checked for clinical and biological symptoms of autoimmune disorders.
authors.affiliation: Paris Descartes Un., Fac. Med. Paris V, Dept Haematology, AP-HP Hôpital Necker, 149 rue de Sèvres 75743 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coppo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saadoun
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Varet