RELATIONSHIP OF CD4 COUNT WITH FNAC FINDINGS OF LYMPH NODE IN HIV PATIENTS WITH LYMPHADENOPATHY
Abstract
As the HIV virus primarily infects the lymphocytes, lymph nodes are commonly involved during all stages of infection and are one of the earliest signs in HIV infected patients. The most common conditions affecting the lymph nodes in HIV positive patients are: reactive changes, including progressive generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL); opportunistic infections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium intracellulare, Histoplasma capsulatum and Cryptococcus neoformans and malignant conditions such as non-Hodgkin's and Hodgkin's lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma. The present study was performed to evaluate the role of FNAC as a cytological investigative tool in the diagnosis of various lesions in HIV lymphadenopathy9-20 and correlates the cytological findings with CD4 count of the patient. The study reveals the correlation between absolute CD4 count and FNAC findings .The median value CD4 count was 256 cells/cumm in case of reactive hyperplasia and 161 cells/cumm in Tuberculous lymphadenitis.
Keywords: HIV, Lymphadenopathy, cytology, CD4 Count
