[Diagnosis and treatment of 11 patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome complicated with tuberculosis of mesenteric lymph nodes.].

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinical features of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) complicated with tuberculosis of mesenteric lymph nodes.

METHODS

Cases (n = 153) with AIDS complicated with tuberculosis hospitalized in this hospital from September 1999 to December 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Mesenteric lymph node tuberculosis was found in 11 cases, including 7 males and 4 females. One patient was 8 years old, and the other 10 were over 22 years (ranging from 8 to 55 years).

RESULTS

In patients with AIDS complicated with tuberculosis, 7% (11/158) had tuberculosis of the mesenteric lymph nodes. The CD(4)(+) cell count was less than 50 x 10(6) cells/L in 8 cases, and (50 - 100) x 10(6) cells/L in 3 cases. The symptoms included fever (11/11), abdominal pain (11/11), abdominal distension (11/11), night sweat (7/11), weight loss (10/11), diarrhea (7/11), anemia (5/11), abdominal mass (3/11), and ascites (1/11). Abdominal ultrasound showed multiple enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes in all of the 11 cases, and abdominal CT scanning presented typical enhanced ring shadows. Biopsy of mesenteric lymph nodes was obtained from 2 cases, and both revealed tuberculoma, caseous necrosis. Longerhan cell infiltration, and positive stain for fast anti-acid bacilli. Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes became smaller and disappeared after treatment with antituberculous drugs for 6 months and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for 5 months in all the 11 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no specific clinical manifestations in AIDS patients with tuberculosis of mesenteric lymph nodes. However, AIDS patients with CD(4)(+) cell count less than 50 x 10(6) cells/L might be more prone to developing tuberculosis of the mesenteric lymph nodes. Abdominal CT scanning with typical strengthened ring shadow is suggestive of the diagnosis. Anti-tuberculous therapy combined with HAART is recommended for the treatment of patients with suspected tuberculosis.