Clinical features of 47 secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis patients complicated with capillary leak syndrome

The clinical features of patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) complicated with capillary leak syndrome (CLS) remain controversial. The data of 259 sHLH patients were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, treatment, and prognosis of the CLS-sHLH group and non-CLS-sHLH group were compared. The levels of fibrinogen, albumin, and serum calcium in the CLS-sHLH group were lower than in the non-CLS-sHLH group, and serum triglycerides in the CLS-sHLH group were higher than in the non-CLS-sHLH group (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that fibrinogen level was an independent prognostic factor in sHLH patients complicated with CLS. The median survival time was significantly shorter in patients with fibrinogen ≤ 1.3 g/L than in patients with fibrinogen > 1.3 g/L (P < 0.05). Patients with improved CLS conditions in the CLS-sHLH group had significantly increased albumin and serum calcium after treatment (P < 0.05); patients without improved conditions in the CLS-sHLH group also had significantly increased albumin after treatment (P < 0.05), but the serum calcium did not change significantly (P > 0.05). sHLH patients complicated with CLS had significantly worse prognosis than without CLS. Significant reduction in fibrinogen may be an independent prognostic factor for poor prognosis in sHLH patients complicated with CLS.