A 26-year-old man with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) taking no medications presented with fever and anorexia. Examination showed a febrile cachectic man with splenomegaly. Laboratory analysis revealed pancytopenia (white cell count 2.1 × 103/μL, hemoglobin 8.1 gm/dL, platelet count 49 × 103/μL) and CD4 count 2/μL. Serum ferritin (8312 mcg/L) and fasting triglycerides (312 mg/dL) were elevated. Urinary Histoplasma antigen was positive. Bone marrow biopsy demonstrated histiocytes with intracellular yeast and ingested red blood cells (Figs. 1 and 2). The patient was diagnosed with disseminated histoplasmosis that manifested as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and was treated with antiretroviral therapy, intravenous amphotericin B for 2 weeks, and oral itraconazole for 1 year.
Watch Dr. Anne Marie Valente present the last year's highlights in pediatric and congenital heart disease in the official ACC.24 Year in Review session.