HEMOPHAGOCYTIC SYNDROME-ASSOCIATED WITH FULMINANT ULCERATIVE-COLITIS AND PRESUMED ACUTE-PANCREATITIS

We herein report a case of hemophagocytic syndrome that developed in a 25-yr-old man with fulminant ulcerative colitis and presumed acute pa ncreatitis. Physical examination on admission showed a chronically ill , delirious patient with an upper abdominal mass. Peripheral blood sho wed progressive pancytopenia and bone marrow aspirate smears revealed hypocellular bone marrow with an increase of histiocytes showing promi nent hemophagocytosis. Plain abdominal radiography revealed toxic mega colon, Both ultrasound and computed tomography showed the enlargement of the pancreas, thus indicating presumed acute pancreatitis. No appar ent neoplasms or viral or bacterial infections, which are normally rep orted to be the cause of hemophagocytic syndrome, were detected. The p atient was successfully treated with high doses of prednisolone and ga mma-globulin, (Am J Gastroenterol 1998;93:1956-1959, (C) 1998 by Am, C ell. of Gastroenterology).