Peripheral lymphadenopathy as a primary presenting sign: a study of 324 cases from Asir region

ABSTRACT

Superficial lymph node biopsies received over a four year-period, 1987 to 1990, at the histopathology laboratory of Asir Central Hospital were reviewed. Total number of patients was 324, all presented with peripheral lymphadenopathy as the primary sign. Two hundred sixty-six patients [82%] were Saudi nationals and 58 patients [18%] were non-Saudi nationals living in Asir region. Granulomatous lymphadenitis was the most common pattern [43%], followed by nonspecific lymphoid hyperplasia [33%], malignant lymphoma [13%], metastatic nonlymphoid malignant neoplasm [6.6%], and miscellaneous specific lymphadenopathies [4.4%]. The distribution patterns of various histopathologic findings according to age, sex, nationality and lymph node location are included