Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy. Review of 44 patients with emphasis on prognostic behavior

In order to investigate the relationship between histologic findings and clinical behavior in angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AILD), 44 patients with AILD were reviewed. These patients comprised 24 men and 20 women with age range from 25 to 84 years of age (median, 64 years). Lymphadenopathy was observed in all patients, systemic in 37, and localized in seven. Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia was present in 64% of patients. Histologically clear cells or convoluted cells were observed in 36% and 48% of the patients, respectively. Univariate analysis (log-rank test) for prognostic factors revealed age, appetite, presence of clear cells, or convoluted cells were important factors. However, multivariate analysis revealed that there were no independent factors for prognosis. The presence of clear cells and/or convoluted cells were histologic signs for poor prognosis; autopsy showed that patients with the clear cells with or without convoluted cells mostly died of active disease of AILD with two cases progressing to non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and those with convoluted cells alone died of lung infection. From these findings, AILD could be divided into three groups: AILD with (1) clear cells with or without convoluted cells, (2) convoluted cells alone, or (3) neither cells. The first two groups showed poor prognosis, and the last a favorable prognosis.