Korean Journal of Pediatrics (Nov 2016)

A 2-month-old boy with hemolytic anemia and reticulocytopenia following intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for Kawasaki disease: a case report and literature review

  • Na Yeon Kim,
  • Joon Hwan Kim,
  • Jin Suk Park,
  • Soo Hyun Kim,
  • Yeon Kyung Cho,
  • Dong Hyun Cha,
  • Ki Eun Kim,
  • Myung Suh Kang,
  • Kyung Ah Lim,
  • Youn Ho Sheen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3345/kjp.2016.59.11.S60
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 59, no. Suppl 1
pp. S60 – S63

Abstract

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Herein, we report a rare case of hemolytic anemia with reticulocytopenia following intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in a young infant treated for Kawasaki disease. A 2-month-old boy presented with fever lasting 3 days, conjunctival injection, strawberry tongue, erythematous edema of the hands, and macular rash, symptoms and signs suggestive of incomplete Kawasaki disease. His fever resolved 8 days after treatment with aspirin and high dose infusion of intravenous immunoglobulin. The hemoglobin and hematocrit decreased from 9.7 g/dL and 27.1% to 7.4 g/dL and 21.3%, respectively. The patient had normocytic hypochromic anemia with anisocytosis, poikilocytosis, immature neutrophils, and nucleated red blood cells. The direct antiglobulin test result was positive, and the reticulocyte count was 1.39%. The patient had an uneventful recovery. However, reticulocytopenia persisted 1 month after discharge.

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