Prevalence of various causes of lymphadenopathy in a rural setting in India

Introduction: To study the pattern of various etiologies of lymphadenopathy in a rural setting, and to examine the distribution of lesions among diverse age and sex groups. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 99 subjects diagnosed with lymphadenopathy at Department of pathology, Vinayaka Missions Medical College and Hospital, Karaikal, Puducherry, India. Detailed clinical and laboratory examinations were performed, and lesion were diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The prevalence of various etiologies was evaluated, and further correlated with age and sex of the participants. Results: Out of the 99 selected patients, 45% of subjects were diagnosed with tuberculous lymphadenitis, followed by 27% with reactive lymphadenitis, 16% with non-specific lymphadenitis, 9% with metastatic deposits, and 2% with supportive lymphadenitis. Conclusion: Tuberculous lymphadenitis was noted as the most prevalent etiology for lymphadenopathy with marked increase in female subjects and cervical region as the major site involved.