The expression of CD38 and HLA-DR on CD8+ T-cell activated subgroups was significantly higher in the NHL-HLH group compared with that in the control group(CD8+CD38+/CD8+ T expression median: 57.4% vs 21.5%, P<0.001; CD8+CD38+/CD8+ T expression median: 49.7% vs 33.5%, P=0.028, respectively). Here, CD38 is linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.