Fine Needle Aspiration Diagnosis in HIV-Related Lymphadenopathy in Mangalore, India

To evaluate the usefulness of fine needle aspiration (FNA) study of lymph nodes in HIV-positive patients. 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. 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. 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.