Immune thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia as a presenting manifestation of Hodgkin disease.

A very unusual clinical presentation of Hodgkin disease with immune thrombocytopenia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia is reported. A 6.5-year-old boy presented with thrombocytopenia, Coombs' positive hemolytic anemia, and multiple small posterior cervical lymph nodes. After a course of high-dose methylprednisolone therapy with a diagnosis of Evans syndrome, complete response for thrombocytopenia and partial response for anemia was achieved. Six weeks later there was a sudden increase in the size of left posterior cervical lymph nodes and a biopsy was compatible with Hodgkin disease, mixed cellularity type. The child was successfully treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He has been off therapy for 28 months and has no clinical or laboratory evidence of autoimmune cytopenia. A combination of immune thrombocytopenia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia may be associated with Hodgkin disease. The recognition of this clinical picture as a complication of Hodgkin disease has important implications. This complication appeares to be managed best by the definitive treatment of Hodgkin disease.