Pathology of AIDS-related lymphadenopathy: a study of 18 biopsy cases / 中华病理学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinicopathologic features of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related lymphadenopathy and to elucidate the salient features helpful in achieving a correct pathologic differentiated diagnosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighteen cases of AIDS-related lymphadenopathy were retrieved from the files of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from 2001 to 2004. Histochemical stains, including periodic acid-Schiff, acid-fast, Giemsa, Grocott stains and immunohistochemistry (EnVision method), were used to detect the presence of pathogens in tissue sections and classify them.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fifteen of the 18 cases (83%) were stage 4 (i.e. follicular and lymphocytic depletion). Twelve cases were co-infected with Penicillium marneffei and 4 other cases with Mycobacterium, and no pathogen was found in 1. The remaining patient was complicated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>When presented in early stages, AIDS-related lymphadenopathy may be overlooked, especially in routine pathology practice. Awareness of the entity in patients with persistent fever and generalized lymphadenopathy is thus crucial. Florid infection with Penicillium marneffei is also considered as an important predictor for underlying AIDS. Thorough understanding of morphologic features of AIDS-related lymphadenopathy, including possible co-infection, is essential in arriving at the correct diagnosis.</p>