RESEARCH - Frequency of lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes) in RA and SLE

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J Int Med Res. 2003 Jul-Aug;31(4):345-9.

Frequency of lymphadenopathy in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic

lupus erythematosus.

Calgüneri M, Oztürk MA, Ozbalkan Z, Akdogan A, Ureten K, Kiraz S, Ertenli I.

Department of Rheumatology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine,

Ankara, Turkey.

This study aimed to assess the frequency of all palpable lymph nodes

during active disease and remission in patients with rheumatoid

arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Hospital

records of 100 SLE patients, 100 RA patients, 100 spondyloarthropathy

patients, and 150 osteoarthritis patients, treated in our rheumatology

department, were evaluated retrospectively. Overall frequencies of

enlarged lymph nodes in patients with active RA and SLE were 82% and

69%, respectively. Enlarged lymph nodes associated with RA were mostly

located in the axillary region, and in SLE the nodes were smaller and

lymphadenopathy was more generalized compared with RA. Palpable lymph

nodes disappeared in the majority of patients during remission.

Lymphadenopathy was significantly less frequent in patients treated

with steroids before admission. Lymph node enlargement is an important

physical finding associated with RA and SLE disease activity. Atypical

locations and unusually large lymph nodes should raise clinical

suspicion of another underlying disease.

PMID: 12964513

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12964513

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