We herein report a rare case of miliary tuberculosis-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) complicated with respiratory failure. A 19-year-old Japanese woman with a fever, general malaise, and chest radiograph abnormalities was referred to our hospital. After admission, she developed respiratory failure with pancytopenia. A histological examination of lung and bone marrow biopsy samples revealed noncaseating granulomas without evidence of acid-fast bacilli or lymphoma. In addition, a bone marrow biopsy showed marked histiocyte hyperplasia with hemophagocytosis, and a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Therefore, a diagnosis of miliary tuberculosis-associated HPS was made. The patient was successfully treated with antituberculous therapy.
Keywords: hemophagocytic syndrome; miliary tuberculosis; noncaseating epithelioid granulomatous inflammation.