Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Induction of Drug-Induced, Autoimmune Hepatitis in BALB/c Mice for the Study of Its Pathogenic Mechanisms
Published on: May 29, 2020
Pregnancy-induced hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis combined with autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Chieh-Lin Teng1, Guang-Yuh Hwang, Bor-Jen Lee
1Department of Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China. drteng@vghtc.gov.tw
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), presenting with fever, cytopenia, liver dysfunction, hepatosplenomegaly, hypertriglyceridemia, and hyperferritinemia, is associated with various etiologies, including infections, collagen vascular diseases, and malignancies. The present report describes a 28-year-old woman who developed HLH combined with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) at 23 weeks of gestation. Without response to corticosteroid, the patient completely recovered from both HLH and AIHA after termination of the pregnancy. Pregnancy-induced immune dysregulation and cytokine overproduction in genetically susceptible women may play critical roles in HLH. The differential diagnosis of pregnant women with fever and cytopenia should include HLH. Pregnancy termination should be considered when pregnancy-induced HLH is refractory to medical treatment.
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), presenting with fever, cytopenia, liver dysfunction, hepatosplenomegaly, hypertriglyceridemia, and hyperferritinemia, is associated with various etiologies, including infections, collagen vascular diseases, and malignancies. The present report describes a 28-year-old woman who developed HLH combined with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) at 23 weeks of gestation. Without response to corticosteroid, the patient completely recovered from both HLH and AIHA after termination of the pregnancy. Pregnancy-induced immune dysregulation and cytokine overproduction in genetically susceptible women may play critical roles in HLH. The differential diagnosis of pregnant women with fever and cytopenia should include HLH. Pregnancy termination should be considered when pregnancy-induced HLH is refractory to medical treatment.
Related Concept Videos
Rh Blood Group
Hypersensitivity Reactions: Cytolytic Reactions
Immunodeficiency Diseases
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency disorders...
Transcytosis of IgG
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
Autoimmune Disorders
Concept and Mechanism of Autoimmune Diseases
The immune system...
Blood Transfusion and Agglutination
History
The history of blood transfusion dates back to the 17th century, when early attempts were made in animals. In 1818 James Blundell, a British doctor, performed the first successful human blood transfusion. Later in 1900, Karl...
