Diagnosis and Treatment > Medication > Interferon

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Huanyu Ding Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China

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Yang Li Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China

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Caishun Ruan Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Longyan People Hospital, Longyan, 364000, People's Republic of China

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Yuan Gao Department of General Practice, Community Health Center of Qianjin Street, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510660, People's Republic of China

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Hehua Wang Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China

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Xiangsong Zhang Department Nuclear Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China

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Zhihong Liao Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China

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Summary

Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD), one type of systemic non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis, has been rarely seen and is characterized by the accumulation of foamy CD68+CD1a- histiocytes. We reported a case of ECD and reviewed the clinical features of 13 cases of ECD reported so far in China. A 53-year-old male was diagnosed with central diabetes insipidus in March 2014, followed by fever, splenomegaly and anemia in July 2014. His initial pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the absence of high signal at T1-weighted image in posterior pituitary without any lesion. A further positron emission tomography/computer tomography (PET/CT) images showed elevated metabolic activity of 18F-2-fluro-D-deoxy-glucose (FDG) and low 13N-NH3 uptake in the posterior pituitary, and multi-organ involvement. Biopsy at right femur lesion revealed that granulomatous infiltration of foamy histiocytes and Touton giant cells surrounded by fibrosis tissues. Immunohistochemistry stain was positive for CD68, negative for CD207/Langerin and S-100. The diagnosis of ECD was confirmed and the treatment with pegylated interferon was effective. ECD was a possible immune-related disorder concluding from the IgG4 immunohistochemistry results. We summarized the pathological manifestations for ECD and its differential diagnosis from Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD). ECD should be considered by both pathologists and clinicians in the differential diagnosis when central diabetes insipidus is accompanied with multi-organ involvement, especially skeletal system involvement, or recurrent fever.

Learning points

  • ECD should be considered when central diabetes insipidus is accompanied with multisystem involvement, especially symmetric/asymmetric bone lesions, or recurrent fever.

  • PET/CT scanning was helpful for locating pituitary lesion, discovering multiple system involvement and indicating the biopsy sites.

  • Conducting proper immunohistochemistry stains was important for diagnosing ECD. ECD might be correlated with immune disorder.

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Wann Jia Loh Osteoporosis and Bone Metabolism Unit, Department of Endocrinology, Singapore General Hospital, Academia, 20, College Road, Singapore, 169856, Singapore

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Kesavan Sittampalam Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Academia, 20, College Road, Singapore, 169856, Singapore

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Suan Cheng Tan Department of Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Academia, 20, College Road, Singapore, 169856, Singapore

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Manju Chandran Osteoporosis and Bone Metabolism Unit, Department of Endocrinology, Singapore General Hospital, Academia, 20, College Road, Singapore, 169856, Singapore

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Summary

Erdheim–Chester disease (ECD) is a potentially fatal condition characterized by infiltration of multiple organs by non-Langerhans histiocytes. Although endocrine dysfunction has been reported in association with ECD, to date, there have been no previous reports of empty sella syndrome (ESS) associated with it. We report the case of a patient with ECD who had symptomatic ESS. A 55-year-old man of Chinese ethnicity initially presented with symptoms of heart failure, fatigue and knee joint pain. Physical examination revealed xanthelasma, gynaecomastia, lung crepitations, hepatomegaly and diminished testicular volumes. He had laboratory evidence of hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, secondary hypoadrenalism and GH deficiency. Imaging studies showed diffuse osteosclerosis of the long bones on X-ray, a mass in the right atrium and thickening of the pleura and of the thoracic aorta on fusion positron emission tomography–computed tomography. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed an empty sella. The diagnosis of ECD was confirmed by bone biopsy.

Learning points

  • ECD is a multisystemic disease that can affect the pituitary and other organs. The diagnosis of ECD is based on clinical and radiological features and histology, showing lipid-laden CD68+ CD1a S100 histiocytes surrounded by fibrosis.

  • The finding of xanthelasmas especially in the presence of normal lipid levels in the presence of a multisystem infiltrative disorder should raise the suspicion of ECD.

  • Systemic perturbation of autoimmunity may play a role in the pathogenesis of ECD and is an area that merits further research.

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