Retractile mesenteritis presenting as fever of unknown origin and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

Retractile mesenteritis is an extremely rare disease characterised by a non -specific inflammatory and fibrotic process of the mesenteric adipose tissu e, which is usually accompanied by pain and a variety of other abdominal sy mptoms, We describe here the case of a patient with retractile mesenteritis presenting with prolonged high-grade fever and autoimmune haemolytic anaem ia without abdominal symptoms, The patient's illness was complicated by chy lous ascites, Diagnosis was suspected by computed tomography and confirmed histologically following exploratory laparotomy, The patient was treated wi th prednisone and azathioprine, and he had a rapid improvement in anaemia a nd fever relief, but no substantial change in the mesenteric lesions, Our c ase adds autoimmune haemolytic anaemia to the wide spectrum of manifestatio ns of retractile mesenteritis and implies the possible involvement of immun e mechanisms in the pathogenesis of the disease. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karg er AG, Basel.