A case of Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in an elderly woman

An 84-year-old woman who had diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation presented to our hospital with appetite loss and difficulty in standing up. Her cervical, axillary, and mediastinal lymph nodes were swollen. At first, malignant lymphoma was suspected, but positron emission tomography-computed tomography and cervical lymph node biopsy did not support this diagnosis. She was admitted to our hospital 41 days after the first consultation because of appetite loss and fever. We suspected a disorder related to Epstein-Barr virus infection because Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNAs were found in the lymph node. She was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) based on the diagnostic criteria of the Japanese Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Her symptoms, including appetite loss and fever, were alleviated after the administration of prednisolone (20 mg per day). She was discharged 90 days after admission. At two weeks after discharge, she was readmitted for respiratory failure, and died five days after readmission.To the best of our knowledge there are no previous reports of EBV-HLH in patients over 80 years of age, and the optimal treatment strategy is unknown. This case suggested that prednisolone may alleviate the symptoms of EBV-HLH. When a patient presents with swollen lymph nodes, clinicians should keep the possibility of EBV-HLH in mind.