Resolution of autoimmune hemolytic anemia following splenectomy in CD3+ large granular lymphocyte leukemia.

A 24 year old female with a 4 year history of anemia and absolute lymphocytosis was evaluated and found to have T cell large granular lymphocyte (T-LGL) leukemia associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, neutropenia, mild thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly. In an effort to ameliorate her symptomatic cytopenias, she was treated with prednisone and subsequently methotrexate without success. In February 1993, she underwent splenectomy for symptomatic anemia. Splenectomy resulted in an increased hemoglobin concentration to normal levels, resolution of all laboratory evidence of hemolysis, and disappearance of thrombocytopenia. This response has been durable despite persistence of the abnormal LGL clone. We suggest that splenectomy may be an effective treatment for autoimmune hemolytic anemia and/or thrombocytopenia often associated with T-LGL leukemia. As this disease often exhibits a chronic clinical course with morbidity resulting from consequences of resultant cytopenias rather than visceral involvement with leukemic LGL, effective treatment of cytopenias despite persistence of the abnormal LGL clone is beneficial.