Clinicopathological characteristics of infectious granulomas: an analysis of 39 cases

Objective To analyze the clinocopathological characteristics of infectious granulomas. Methods The clinical features, histopathological manifestations of 39 patients with infectious granulomas were analyzed retrospectively. Results Among 39 cases of infectious granulomas, there were 15 males and 24 females, and 17 cases of fungal granuloma and 22 cases of tuberculous granuloma. There was no statistically significant difference in gender and age between fungal granulomas and tuberculous granulomas. The mean course of tuberculous granuloma and tuberculous granuloma was (0.88±0.67) years and (5.54±3.49) years, respectively (t=4.51, P=0.00); there was no significant difference in mean age of onset in fungal granuloma patients and tuberculous granuloma patients [(54.6±19.6) vs. (47.6±18.1) years, P>0.05)]. There were 4 and 18 cases of fungal and tuberculous granulomatosis at the face, and 13 and 3 cases at the extremities (all P=0.00); the lesions occurred in the trunk in one case of tuberculous granuloma. The clinical manifestations of fungal and tuberculous granulomas as plaques/nodules were in 14 cases and 22 cases (P=0.08); as ulcers and pus exudates were in 10 and 2 cases, respectively (P=0.00). The histopathological features showed epidermal hyperplasia in 12 and 4 cases, infiltrative patterns in 4 and 21 cases, infiltration of neutrophils in 14 and 3 cases, infiltration of plasma cells in 15 and 5 cases, infiltration of eosinophils in 10 and 0 cases, necrosis in 1 and 10 cases in fungal granulomas and tuberculous granulomas, respectively (P= 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.01). Conclusion Fungal granuloma and tuberculous granuloma are different in the lesion sites, clinical manifestations and histopathological features. Key words: Granuloma, infectious; Granuloma, fungal; Granuloma, tuberculous; Pathological conditions, signs and symptoms