A Case of Chediak-Higashi Syndrome Presented with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

Abstract

Chediak Higashi syndrome, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterised by oculocutaneus albinism, recurrent respiratory system infections and other pyogenic infections. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis can develop in any time of the life in patients with Chediak Higashi syndrome. A 14-month-old girl patient was diagnosed as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with the laboratory findings of pancytopenia, high levels of triglyceride and ferritin, hypofibrinogenemia, low ratio of natural killers in lymphocyte subtypes, and with determined macrophages that made hemophagocytosis in recurrent bone marrow aspirates. The treatment protocol of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis 2004 was administered. During the maintenance treatment, recurrence was developed. In the second bone marrow examination, the diagnosis of Chediak Higashi syndrome was made with determined intracytoplasmic giant granules. Hair analysis result was meaningful for Chediak Higashi syndrome. In this report, we would like to emphasize the condition that especially in early infants, Chediak Higashi syndrome presenting with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis may be misdiagnosed because of the uncertain clinical findings and this can be the result of resistance to treatment.