Shifting trend of tubercular lymphadenitis over a decade – A study from eastern region of India

BACKGROUND: The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is changing in India. The commonest extra pulmonary manifestation of TB is tuberculous lymphadenitis. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To detect changes in occurrence of TB lymphadenitis by comparing current data with that from 10 years back. METHODS: Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) findings of patients presenting with lymphadenopathy between January 2014 and December 2015 were included in the study as current data. Cases of TB lymphadenitis were analysed for cyto-morphological patterns and frequency of acid fast bacilli (AFB) positivity. Cytological data of patients with lymphadenopathy between January 2002 and December 2003, were collected from records. Subsequently, comparison was done between previous data and current observation. RESULTS: Total 302 cases of lymphadenopathy were included in 2014 and 2015. Tuberculous lymphadenitis accounted for 96 (31.7%) cases, among which AFB was present in 47 (49%) cases. Data collected from registers of the years 2002 and 2003 included 318 cases where tuberculous lymphadenitis accounted for 161 (50.6%) cases and AFB was detected in 101 (63%) patients. Maximum AFB positivity was found in smears with caseous necrosis only. CONCLUSION: Presently occurrence of TB lymphadenopathy has reduced compared to the period of 2002–2003. Despite this declining trend, the disease continues to be one of the leading causes of lymphadenopathy in both periods.