[The relationships between thymus, other immune organs and various diseases in children (analysis of 621 cases)]

Thymuses, spleens, lymph nodes, tonsils and appendices from 621 autopsy cases were reviewed. The degree of atrophy of these organs might be classified into 3 grades. The main diagnoses of these cases involved more than 130 different diseases, which could be divided into 9 groups: infection, benign tumor, malignant tumor, deformity, amniotic fluid aspiration, fungal infection, autoimmune disease and hemorrhage, etc. Cases of infection with a course less than 5 days showed mild atrophy of the thymus and those cases with a longer course might show moderate or severe degree of atrophy. Cases of benign tumor showed no relationship between the degree of atrophy and the course of the disease. Nevertheless, in cases of malignant neoplasms even there was a history of short course, showed severe atrophy of the thymus. Only mild atrophy was obtained in those patients with deformity, amniotic fluid aspiration and hemorrhage, while severe atrophy was seen in those cases with fungal infection and autoimmune disease. In 81% of the cases, the degree of thymus atrophy was in accordance with those of the other immune organs.