Scientific Letters
Vol. 18 No. 1 (2026): Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases
Severe adult protein-energy malnutrition mimicking haematological malignancy: diagnostic lessons from a profound pancytopenia
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Published: October 31, 2026
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A 53-year-old man with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus and a three-month history of food refusal driven by an untreated major depressive episode presented with pancytopenia (haemoglobin 30 g/L, white cell count 1.48 × 10⁹/L, platelets 14 × 10⁹/L), hepatosplenomegaly, polyserositis, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia (IgG 44.35 g/L), disseminated intravascular coagulation, and a markedly elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH 3877 U/L).
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Citations
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Ethics Approval
kwashiorkor, parvovirus B19, pancytopenia, C reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenaseHow to Cite
“Severe adult protein-energy malnutrition mimicking haematological malignancy: diagnostic lessons from a profound pancytopenia” (2026) Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 18(1), p. e2026079. doi:10.4084/MJHID.2026.079.
Copyright (c) 2026 Liri Seraj, Aureta Bruci, Amarildo Voci, Xhoana Derraj, Krisli Serani
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