RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Fever, cough and gastrointestinal symptoms in a pregnant woman
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP e526
OP e528
DO 10.7861/clinmed.2021-0443
VO 21
IS 5
A1 Nivedita Jha
A1 Divya M Balachandran
A1 Ajay K Jha
YR 2021
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/21/5/e526.abstract
AB Despite distinct diagnostic criteria, several gastrointestinal pathologies can masquerade haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) during the peripartum period. Acute fatty liver of pregnancy, HELLP (haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets) syndrome, miliary tuberculosis, visceral leishmaniasis, abdominal surgical emergencies, haemolytic anaemias and haematological malignancies may have clinical and laboratory presentation similar to that of HLH. In this report, we present the case of a 26-year-old woman with 38-weeks’ gestation and abdominal pain, vomiting, intermittent fever and non-productive cough for 1–2 months. A thorough investigation suggested HLH and the patient was successfully treated with corticosteroids. This patient demonstrates the importance of a focused investigation strategy and timely management to prevent mortality and morbidity to both the mother and fetus in this rare and fatal disease.