Utility of fine needle aspiration in HIV-positive patients with corresponding CD4 counts. Four years' experience in a large inner city hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the utility of fine needle aspiration (FNA) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with corresponding CD4 count analysis.


METHODS
The study group consisted of 108 FNA specimens from 80 patients performed from January 1991 to December 1994.


RESULTS
FNAs were sub-typed into four categories: lymph nodes (59 specimens), masses (26 specimens), salivary glands (19 specimens) and breast (4 specimens). Thirty-three were diagnosed as reactive lymph nodes, 15% as benign lymphoepithelial lesions and 9% as granulomas; 9% revealed acute inflammation, 5% were positive for malignant lymphoma, and 3% were suspicious for Kaposi's sarcoma. Differences in CD4 counts were statistically significant for specific subsets of HIV-related illnesses. General trends were noted in mean CD4 counts for specific sub-groups of HIV-related illnesses.


CONCLUSIONS
Material adequate for culture can be obtained with the FNA procedure. FNA in skilled hands is a very useful simple and cost-effective procedure for the diagnosis of HIV-related lesions and in the management of these patients. This study suggested that mean CD4 counts are statistically significant in specific subsets of HIV related illnesses.
Grossl
N A
NA
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Mosunjac
M I
MI
Wallace
T M
TM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000473:pathology