Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in a Young Adult Presenting as Hepatitis and Acute Kidney Injury

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults is a relatively rare malignancy. The typical presentation includes signs and symptoms associated with bone marrow failure, including fevers, infections, fatigue, and excessive bruising. In this article, we report an unusual systemic presentation of ALL in a previously healthy 18-year-old man. He initially presented with several-day history of nausea and vomiting, 10-pound weight loss, and right upper quadrant abdominal pain with evidence of acute hepatocellular liver injury (elevations in aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase) and elevation in serum creatinine. Further history revealed that he just joined the Marine Corp; in preparation, he had been lifting weights and taking protein and creatine supplements. A complete serological evaluation for liver disease was negative and creatine phosphokinase was normal. His aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase declined, and he was discharged with expected improvement. However, he returned one week later with continued symptoms and greater elevation of aminotransferases. Liver biopsy was nondiagnostic, revealing scattered portal and lobular inflammatory cells (primarily lymphocytes) felt to be consistent with drug-induced liver injury or viral hepatitis. Given his elevated creatinine, unresponsive to aggressive volume expansion, a kidney biopsy was performed, revealing normal histology. He subsequently developed an extensive left lower extremity deep venous thrombosis. Given his deep venous thrombosis, his peripheral blood was sent for flow cytometry, which revealed lymphoblasts. Bone marrow biopsy revealed 78% blasts with markers consistent with acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia. This report emphasizes that right upper quadrant abdominal pain with liver test abnormalities may be the initial presentation of a systemic illness such as ALL.