Open AccessA Fatal Case of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia—Methotrexate Related or Primary Autoimmune Disease Related: A Rare Case Report
Author(s) -
Saurabh Agarwal,
Nidhi Kaeley,
Priyanka Gupta,
Vibha Gupta,
Ruby Bhatia
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of clinical and diagnostic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2249-782X
pISSN - 0973-709X
DOI - 10.7860/jcdr/2016/16516.7359
Subject(s) - medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , methotrexate , cyclophosphamide , chronic myeloid leukaemia , disease , bone marrow , chemotherapy
Methotrexate is being used for many years in the treatment of chronic medical disorders e.g. rheumatoid arthritis since 1951. It has been associated with various systemic toxicities and complications including bone marrow suppression and lymphomas. The development of leukaemia in a patient of chronic rheumatoid arthritis is either related with the primary disease or due to the drugs which are used in the treatment like cyclophosphamide. In our present case, a 70-year-old female who was a known case of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and was on methotrexate once a week orally for the past 20 years presented with complaints of loss of appetite, loss of weight and anaemia since 2 months. After thorough examination and investigation, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML-M4) with bilateral chest consolidation.