Korean J Hematol.  2007 Mar;42(1):53-57. 10.5045/kjh.2007.42.1.53.

A Case of Idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia Associated with Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

• Lee SG
• Byun SH
• Choi JW
• Kim HS

• KMID: 2252269
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5045/kjh.2007.42.1.53

Abstract

Idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia (ICL) is defined by the CDC as depressed numbers of circulating CD4+ T-lymphocytes (<300 cells/microliter or <20% of the total T cells) on more than one determination, with the absence of HIV infection and other known causes of immunodeficiency. The clinical spectrum of ICL ranges from asymptomatic laboratory abnormalities to severe opportunistic infections that mimic the clinical course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients. There are a few reports of ICL associated with different diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome, pulmonary sarcoidosis, Down syndrome or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We describe here a 5-year-old male patient with a three-year history of recurrent otitis media and pulmonary infection, and he was without any risk factors for HIV infection; this patient presented with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and was ultimately found to have idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia.

Keyword

Idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia; Otitis media; Pulmonary infection; Autoimmune hemolytic anemia

MeSH Terms

Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune*
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
Child, Preschool
Down Syndrome
HIV
HIV Infections
Humans
Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin
Male
Opportunistic Infections
Otitis Media
Risk Factors
Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary
Sjogren's Syndrome
T-Lymphocytes
T-Lymphocytopenia, Idiopathic CD4-Positive*

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The peripheral blood smear showed severe anemia with RBC agglutination, polychromasia, spherocytes, and normoblasts (Wright stain, ×1,000)

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