Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in a Young Child

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a multisystem disorder mediated by cytokine storm and is characterized by fever, pancytopenia and organomegaly coupled with laboratory features like hyperferritinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypofibrinogenemia and transaminitis. Etiology can be genetic or acquired such as infections, malignancy and autoimmune disorders. Diagnosis, identification of underlying etiology and management of HLH remain tough clinical puzzles to sort out for the managing physician. We report a clinicopathological conference of a three-year-old boy who had such a presentation and succumbed during the hospital stay.