[Systemic inflammatory response syndrome triggered by necrotizing cholecystitis after treatment of underlying low titer cold agglutinin disease].

In April 1996, a 77-year-old man initially presented with fever, rash and polyarthralgia, and was diagnosed as having low titer cold agglutinin disease with acute hemolytic anemia. The patient's condition and laboratory findings improved after administration of corticosteroid (prednisolone 60 mg). In June 1996, however, he developed acute cholecystitis and died due to sepsis, disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiple organ failure. During the course, the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-6 were correlated with the pathology, and the disease was diagnosed as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Autopsy revealed necrotizing cholecystitis, erythrophagocytosis in the liver, and cytomegalovirus infection in the lung and gall bladder. This was considered to be a rare case of low titer cold agglutinin disease complicated by SIRS.