Resumo

ARISMENDI-MORILLO, Gabriel J. et al. Non-Specific acute Splenitis as an indicator of systemic infection. evaluation Of 71 Autopsy cases. Invest. clín [online]. 2004, vol.45, n.2, pp.131-135. ISSN 0535-5133.

Abstract Classic pathology textbooks claim that acute splenitis reflects septic states, nevertheless, the evidence upon which that association is based remains unclear. We assessed the occurrence of acute splenitis, as an indicator of systemic infection, in 34 autopsies performed in patients in whom the cause of death was due to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, secondary to sepsis (group A); and in 37 cases of death by non-infectious causes (group B). These necropsies were done during the period January 31 1999 - December 31 2000, at the Pathology Department of the Hospital General del Sur "Dr. Pedro Iturbe", Maracaibo, Venezuela. Acute splenitis was observed in 79% of the cases in group A, whereas it was absent in group B (p<0,001). Thirty three (97%) of the patients of group A did not receive antibiotic therapy, and died within the first 24 hours following admission. Our results suggest that based on a proper clinical-pathological correlation, non-specific acute splenitis constitutes a finding that reflects a septic state, at least in cases that do not receive anti-microbial therapy.

Palavras-chave : Acute splenitis; sepsis; autopsy; spleen.