Non-tropical 'idiopathic splenomegaly': a follow-up study of ten patients described in 1969

Idiopathic splenomegaly: a previously unrecognised cause of anaemia and thrombocytopenia in a dog

Summary

A nine-year-old female neutered Old English sheepdog was referred for investigation and treatment of moderate, non-regenerative anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Aside from the aforementioned changes on complete blood count (CBC), the only abnormality found during diagnostic investigation was marked, generalised splenomegaly. A cause for the anaemia, thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly was not found following initial investigation. Splenectomy was performed and histopathological analysis showed marked, diffuse, subacute-chronic congestion and intraparenchymal haemorrhage. There was no evidence of neoplastic change. The splenic vasculature appeared normal during coeliotomy and torsion was not present. The findings of anaemia and thrombocytopenia, along with the histopathological changes found in the spleen, are similar to those found in people diagnosed with idiopathic splenomegaly. The dog recovered well from anaesthesia and was discharged the following day. Repeat CBCs over 12 months postsurgery showed results within normal limits, and no clinical signs had been reported by the owners.

An inherited disorder with splenomegaly, cytopenias, and vision loss

We describe a novel inherited disorder consisting of idiopathic massive splenomegaly, cytopenias, anhidrosis, chronic optic nerve edema, and vision loss. This disorder involves three affected patients in a single non-consanguineous Caucasian family, a mother and two daughters, who are half-sisters. All three patients have had splenectomies; histopathology revealed congestion of the red pulp, but otherwise no abnormalities. Electron microscopic studies of splenic tissue showed no evidence for a storage disorder or other ultrastructural abnormality. Two of the three patients had bone marrow examinations that were non-diagnostic. All three patients developed progressive vision loss such that the two oldest patients are now blind, possibly due to a cone-rod dystrophy. Characteristics of vision loss in this family include early chronic optic nerve edema, and progressive vision loss, particularly central and color vision. Despite numerous medical and ophthalmic evaluations, no diagnosis has been discovered.

Splenomegaly: investigation, diagnosis and management

Splenomegaly is a feature of a broad range of diseases, and presents to clinicians in many fields. This review examines the aetiology of splenomegaly in the developed world, and describes a logical approach to the patient with splenomegaly. In some patients, extensive radiological and laboratory investigations will fail to yield a diagnosis: these cases of "isolated" splenomegaly are not uncommon and can be particularly challenging to manage. The risks of serious underlying disease must be balanced against the risks of invasive investigations such as splenic biopsy and diagnostic splenectomy. We discuss the options in isolated splenomegaly and their evidence base, and incorporate them into a management strategy to aid the clinician in cases of diagnostic difficulty.

Haematological splenectomy. Changing indications and complications

Review of splenectomies carried out for haematological disease over a ten-year period, at a district hospital, shows that the indications for splenectomy have changed substantially over this time. Fewer patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura now require splenectomy, however its role in the management of lymphoproliferative disorders has expanded. Splenectomy remains an important therapeutic option for a range of haematological disorders: this series shows it to be a safe and effective operation in selected patients, although it is not without both short and long-term sequelae.

The spleen as a diagnostic specimen: a review of 10 years' experience at two tertiary care institutions

BACKGROUND

Few studies have examined the yield of the diagnostic splenectomy, and the relevance of these studies to the management of patients with unexplained splenomegaly or a splenic mass are limited by low number of cases, the use of selection criteria, and the lack of modern terminology and modern ancillary studies. The current study correlates clinical intent with preoperative clinical and radiologic studies and histologic findings in an assessment of the diagnostic yield of splenectomy.

METHODS

The medical charts, laboratory data, radiologic studies, and pertinent preoperative biopsies on all patients who underwent splenectomy between the years 1986 and 1995 were reviewed, and the clinical intent behind the procedure was correlated with histologic findings.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-two of the 1280 patients underwent splenectomy for diagnosis, and in 116 patients a specific disease was identified histologically that explained the splenomegaly/splenic mass; malignancy was the most common cause of unexplained splenomegaly or splenic mass, though benign neoplasms and reactive disorders were documented in 25% of the cases. Primary splenic lymphomas were most commonly of large cell B-cell type.

CONCLUSIONS

In the setting of splenomegaly or splenic mass, splenectomy has a high diagnostic yield and usually discloses a malignancy. The clinical category of "primary splenic lymphoma" is biologically heterogeneous, and the diagnosis is usually an intermediate grade (not low grade) lymphoma. The range of conditions associated with splenic masses were quite commonly associated with diseases that are amenable to fine-needle aspiration (FNA) diagnosis, whereas those disorders associated only with splenomegaly included a large fraction of diseases for which FNA may yield either incomplete or misleading results.

Splenectomy in patients with undiagnosed splenomegaly

Of splenectomies performed in the Cork Regional Hospital over an 11 year period, ten were undertaken primarily for diagnostic purposes. A definitive histological diagnosis was established in nine patients, seven of whom had lymphoma, two with Hodgkin's disease and five with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The weight of the excised spleen in all patients with lymphoma exceeded 1 kg; in all those with a diagnosis other than lymphoma, the spleen weighed less than 1 kg. A majority of patients also had symptomatic improvement from reversal of hypersplenism and from relief of the mechanical pressure effects of an enlarged spleen. Operative mortality was zero. Diagnostic splenectomy is a worthwhile procedure. Most patients will have lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the spleen

Although the spleen is frequently involved in disseminated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), splenic presentation as the initial or only site of disease is uncommon. The true incidence of splenic lymphoma is difficult to estimate because of the variable definition of this disease, however, the diagnosis of primary lymphoma of the spleen should be limited to involvement of only the spleen and splenic hilum. Using this restricted definition, our experience suggests that the prognosis of NHL of the spleen, when pathologically staged, may have a favorable prognosis which approximates that seen with limited stage NHL at other sites. The influence of pathologic subtype on natural history and the impact of adjuvant therapy are discussed.

Chronic infectious mononucleosis; a case report

A 39-year-old woman had an adenitis colli followed by anaemia, splenomegaly, atypical lymphoid cells in blood with increased B-lymphocytes, reduced T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells, increased polyclonal IgM, high titres of EB VCA IgG, EB EA IgD&R +/- and EBNA IgG-. The disease progressed slowly for 2 years, splenectomy was followed by clinical improvement; spleen morphology was compatible with a benign disease of viral origin.

True idiopathic splenomegaly--a distinct clinical entity

10 asymptomatic young male patients with moderate splenomegaly detected at a routine examination are presented. The history and clinical examination failed to reveal the aetiology of the splenomegaly. Further investigations, including screening for blood dyscrasias, clotting abnormalities and reticuloendothelial abnormalities were likewise unrevealing. Liver biopsies, rectal biopsies for bilharzia and bone marrow aspirates for Gaucher's Disease were found to be normal. Serology for malaria and Ebstein Barr Virus infection was also negative. Positive immunofluorescent tests for IgG antibodies specific for cytomegalovirus were found in 5 patients. We consider that these patients have splenomegaly which is not of a specific nature, but may be associated with a severe antigeneic response to the previous cytomegalovirus infection. In view of the otherwise negative findings these patients should be considered to have 'True Idiopathic Splenomegaly', a term which would indicate the benign nature of the splenic enlargement. This diagnosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of asymptomatic patients who have splenomegaly of undetermined origin.

Non-tropical idiopathic splenomegaly and chronic T cell lymphocytosis

Non-tropical idiopathic splenomegaly (NTIS) is thought to predispose to the development of lymphoid neoplasia of B-cell type. We report a case of NTIS that evolved into a T-lymphoproliferative disorder. Review of the literature suggests that this type of evolution is not uncommon. The role of splenectomy in this progression is discussed.

Hyperreactive malarious splenomegaly (tropical splenomegaly syndrome)

Hyperreactive malarious splenomegaly (HMS), formerly known as tropical splenomegaly syndrome (TSS), was recognized some 20 years ago as an entity distinct from the splenic enlargement resulting directly from malarial parasitaemia. Its basis appears to be a disturbance in the T-lymphocyte control of the humoral response to recurrent malaria, possibly linked to particular HLA Class II antigens. Gross overproduction of IgM antibodies leads to the formation of high molecular weight immune complexes, persistent gross splenomegaly recurrent episodes of profound anaemia and increased susceptibility to infections. Those with gross disease experience a high mortality, which constitutes a major public health problem in communities where the syndrome affects a majority of adults.

Primary splenic presentation of malignant lymphoma and related disorders. A study of 49 cases

The diagnosis of malignant lymphoma presenting as an initial splenic manifestation may go unrecognized as such when peripheral lymph nodes are not enlarged and when results of bone marrow biopsies are negative. Tissues from 49 patients, ranging in age from 15 to 78 years, in whom the original diagnosis of malignant lymphoma and related conditions was made at splenectomy, were classified as: diffuse small lymphocytic (20), diffuse large cell (11), diffuse small cleaved (5), diffuse large cell, immunoblastic (5), follicular small cleaved cell (3), and follicular mixed small cell and large cell (2). Two additional spleens, diagnosed as acute blastic leukemia, were initially confused with malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by light microscopy. One patient presented with Hodgkin's disease confined to the spleen. For the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma group, parameters of age, sex, splenic weight (range, 226-4000 g), lymph node, bone marrow, or liver involvement did not adversely influence prognosis. Abdominal lymph nodes were positive in 31 of 37 patients having splenic hilar and/or abdominal lymph nodes available for review. Of 29 patients with adequate follow-up, 7 died of disease, 5 were free of disease at 3 years, 2 were free of disease at 5 years, 2 were alive with disease at 3 years, 4 were alive with disease at 5 years, and 9 died from second malignancies, unknown, or unrelated causes. Six of the 7 patients who died of lymphoma were classified as large cell (four diffuse large cell and two diffuse large cell, immunoblastic), with a mean 2-year survival. One patient died of leukemia. Those lymphomas classified as low grade behaved in an indolent fashion. The morphologic diversity of these cases emphasizes the need for the initial recognition and correct classification of lymphomas which present in the spleen, since survival is best determined according to histologic type.

Non-tropical idiopathic splenomegaly (Dacie's syndrome): report of 5 cases

We describe 5 patients, aged 22-69 years, with massive splenomegaly of unknown origin an features of hypersplenism. Splenectomy corrected the cytopenia(s) and abolished the symptoms in each case; the histological features of the spleen were non-specific and included congestive changes and lymphoid hyperplasia. 2 of these patients developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) 2 and 6 years after spenectomy. A total of 46 cases of splenomegaly of unknown origin have been reported from UK, USA, and Australia so far, and in 9, NHL developed 8 to 80 months after splenectomy. The questions relating to the pathogenesis of splenomegaly and the subsequent development of NHL remain to be answered. We propose that this 'entity' be known as Dacie's syndrome, after Sir John Dacie who characterised it in 1969.

Splenic function: normal, too much and too little

This review is concerned with normal splenic function, mechanisms and consequences of splenomegaly, hypersplenism, the medical indications for splenectomy and the various aspects of hyposplenism. The potential probelm of lethal septicemia in hyposplenic or asplenic patients is also considered.