An Aetiological study of hepatosplenomegaly in adults

This is a randomized hospital-based study of fifty cases from either sex-all above the age of twelve years. There were 41 (82%) male and 9 (18%) female patients. 52% of cases belong to low income group and 48% hail from middle class. Occupations of the patients were cultivation (26%), service (24%), studentship (20%), housewife (i 4%) and business (10%). The study shows malignant disorders of haemopoietic tissue as the prime cause while infections excluding Kala-azar contribute the least. Leukemia and lymphoma constitute 13 (46%) cases. Of these, chronic granulocytic leukemja (CGL) constitutes 12 (24%) cases, Hodgkin's Lymphoma comprises 5(10%) cases, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) comprises 4(8%) cases and there was one (2%) case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and one (2%) case of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AMl). Kala-azar shows a dreadful increase in incidence with a reflection of resurgence of the disease. Kala-azar constitutes 10(20%) cases, chronic liver disease comprises 10(20%) cases followed by thalassaemia and haemoglobinopathy comprising 5(10%) cases. There was one (2%) case of hepatosplenomegaly due to typhoid fever and another case (1%) was due to congestive cardiac failure (CCF) with mitral valve disease.