Source
Department of Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka State, India.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the usefulness of fine needle aspiration (FNA) study of lymph nodes in HIV-positive patients.
STUDY DESIGN:
The study was conducted at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India. Samples from lymph nodes of 48 HIV-positive patients were taken and air dried, and wet smears were made. After staining with routine cytologic stains and special stains, detailed cytomorphologic study was conducted.
RESULTS:
Tuberculosis accounted for nearly half (48%) the cases,followed by HIV lymphadenitis (36%), lymphoma (10%), suppurative lymphadenitis (2%), Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare lymphadenitis (2%) and metastases (2%), in descending order of their frequency. A suppurative picture, which was found in 13% of cases of tuberculous lymphadenitis in AIDS patients, occasionally was misleading without the help of acid fast bacilli stain.
CONCLUSION:
FNA is a useful tool in the diagnosis of lymphadenopathy in HIV-positive patients provided that proper safety measures are taken to avoid contracting the infection.