To determine the role of histological diagnosis of lymphadenopathy (LAP) associated with clinico-laboratory picture in patients with HIV infection/AIDS.Target biopsy of the peripheral lymph node was made in 80 HIV-infected patients from 2002 to 2005. Histological diagnosis was made in all the patients with light microscopy, in some patients at immunohistological examination.Most of the patients had peripheral blood CD4 lymphocytes under 200 cell/mcl. Viral load was hundred thousands copies in mcl. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 33 (41%) patients, lymphomas--in 23(29%), lymphogranulomatosis--in 5 (6%), reactive lymphadenopathy--in 15 (19%), germinogenic tumors--in 3 (4%), sarcoidosis--in 1 (1%). Histologically, LAP was represented by follicular hyperplasia (n = 9), involution (n = 2), bacterial lymphadenitis with necrosis (n = 4).Biopsy of peripheral lymph nodes is an early, safe, reliable and cost-effective method of LAP diagnosis in patients with AIDS.
