Refractory systemic capillary leak syndrome treated with bevacizumab: a case report

Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) is a syndrome caused by many reasons and without a definitive mechanism. The main diagnostic criteria of SCLS are hemoconcentration, hypoalbuminemia, and hypotension. Though most SCLS improved spontaneously within a few days, it can be life-threatening without effective treatments. In previous literature, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor had shown its potential to be an effective treatment, but the treatment outcomes were inconsistent. This article was about a 58-year-old female suffering from refractory systemic capillary leak syndrome after bone marrow transplantation and being treated with bevacizumab, a VEGF inhibitor. In comparison with other successfully treated cases, this patient received four cycles of bevacizumab treatment without symptomatic improvement and eventually died in the intensive care unit. Further studies are needed to further confirm the role of bevacizumab in the management of SCLS.