Hemophagocytic syndrome due to sulfasalazine therapy in a patient with seronegative spondyloarthropathy

Abstract

Hemophagocytic syndrome (HS) is a rare clinical condition characterized by fever and cytopenia due to phagocytosis of erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets and their precursors in the bone marrow and other reticuloendothelial systems. The presence of HS can be associated with malignancies, infections, drugs and a variety of other medical disorders. We report a patient with seronegative spondyloarthropathy treated with sulfasalazine and was complicated by the occurrence of fever, facial erythema and pancytopenia. The patient was diagnosed with HS and successfully treated with corticosteroids.

Keywords

• Hemophagocytosis
• sulfasalazine
• seronegative spondyloarthropathy