Relevance of mesenteric lymphadenopathy in children detected on sonography

Objective: Mesenteric lymphadenitis reflects the mesenteric lymph node (MLN) response to an underlying infection of uncertain etiology, usually viral. In children, enlarged MLNs are common findings detected during abdominal ultrasound, whether done for nonspecific pain abdomen or for unrelated clinical presentations. This study was conducted to determine the significance of mesenteric lymphadenopathy in asymptomatic children as compared to those with symptoms of acute abdominal pain or chronic abdominal pain (CAP). Methodology: A prospective hospital-based study was conducted among 72 children aged between 2 and 15 years. These children were referred from the outpatient/pediatric ward department for 1 year, for evaluation by abdominal ultrasonography. Children were grouped into three categories based on their clinical presentations as asymptomatic (controls), those with CAP, and those with acute abdomen. The sonographic findings were tabulated against each, with accounting of parameters such as size, number of enlarged nodes, and site of nodes. Pearson's Chi-square test was used to analyze ordinal variables between groups. About 95% confidence interval was selected with a P = 0.05 taken as statistically significant. Results: Significant enlarged MLNs were comparable in prevalence in all groups. The incidence of significant mesenteric lymphadenopathy in the CAP group was even less than in the control group. The Chi-square statistic was 2.5612. The P = 0.633718. The result is not statistically significant at P < 0.05. This indicates that MLNs on ultrasonography have no significant association with the clinical presentation in children. Conclusion: Our study indicates that reporting of enlarged mesenteric nodes on transabdominal sonography in children is not statistically significant with the clinical symptomatology.