Exacerbation of autoimmune neutropenia to agranulocytosis in association with severe autoimmune thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia in a patient with Sjögren's syndrome

Journal: [Rinsho Ketsueki] The Japanese Journal Of Clinical Hematology
Published:
Abstract

A 73-year-old woman with Sjögren's syndrome and autoimmune neutropenia (AIN) associated with large granular lymphocytosis of the polyclonal T cell type, demonstrated autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AIT) at diagnosis of sigmoid colon cancer. Ten months later, both AIN and AIT had exacerbated to agranulocytosis and severe thrombocytopenia below 10×10(9)/L, respectively. There were no dysplastic features of bone marrow hematopoietic cells. Furthermore, an in vitro assay of hematopoietic progenitors showed normal granuloid and erythroid colony formation. Although we serially treated her with prednisolone (oral), filgrastim, intravenous high-dose immunoglobulin infusion, cyclophosphamide (oral), danazol, cyclosporine A (oral), and rituximab, number of neutrophils and platelets elevated only temporarily. During the course of agranulocytosis and severe thrombocytopenia, the patient also developed autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). She died of pneumonia 5 months after the onset of agranulocytosis. This case is very unique and novel in terms of autoimmune phenomena simultaneously directed to granulocytes, platelets, and red blood cells under the background of Sjögren's syndrome.

Authors
Sonoko Shimoji, Yohko Takiuchi, Hayato Maruoka, Daichi Inoue, Takaharu Kimura, Minako Mori, Yuya Nagai, Katuhiro Togami, Sumie Tabata, Masayuki Kurata, Akiko Matsushita, Kenichi Nagai, Takayuki Takahashi