Immunoblastic lymphadenopathy: report of 11 cases
Chinese Medical Journal 93(11): 767-772
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0366-6999 PMID: 6775887 Document Number: 160911
Eleven elderly patients with immunoblastic lymphadenopathy or angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinemia (AILD) are presented. The disease is characterized by acute onset of constitutional symptoms, generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly and immunologic abnormalities. The prognosis is unfavorable. Four patients in this series died of infection, which is a serious and often fatal complication due to inadequate defense mechanisms in these patients. The diagnosis is verified by lymph node biopsies in all 11 cases. Histologically, diffuse obliteration of the nodal architecture due to pronounced proliferation of small blood vessels and immunoblasts is the distinctive feature.