title: Clinical significance of abdominal lymphadenopathy in chronic liver disease.
abstract: The possibility of assessing the relationship of ultrasound (US)-detected abdominal lymphadenopathy with etiology, biochemical findings, and histologic data in patients with chronic liver disease was evaluated. US examination of the upper abdomen was performed in 321 consecutive patients with various chronic liver disorders and 56 control patients. The prevalence of lymphadenopathy in chronic liver disease was 38%. This prevalence varied according to etiology of liver disease, from 50% in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) to less than 10% in alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatitis B-virus (HBV)-related chronic liver disease. Patients with lymphadenopathy showed significantly higher serum levels of AST and ALT, as well as greater histopathological severity on liver biopsy specimens. In anti-HCV positive patients, there were no differences in the prevalence of lymphadenopathy according to HCV genotypes, whereas lymphadenopathy occurred less frequently in responders to interferon therapy than in nonresponders.
authors.affiliation: Service of Hepatology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. delolmo_jua@gva.es
authors.forename: Juan-Angel
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: del Olmo
authors.forename: José-Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: Felicidad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Amparo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escudero
authors.forename: Miguel-Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: José-Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha