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Three Part Question

In [children who present to the ED with cervical lymphadenopathy], does the [size of lymph node] [help in making a diagnosis]?

Clinical Scenario

A 4 year old boy was brought into the ED by her parents who were worried about a lump in her neck. During clinical examination, it was measured to be 3 cm at its widest diameter. Nonetheless it was not tender, no signs of erythema was seen and the child was well and happy without any recent history of infection. The only thing that is worrying the examining doctor is the size of the lump which is suspected to be a lymphadenopathy. Should the child undergo further investigations?

Search Strategy

Ovid MEDLINE(R) 1948 to June Week 3 2011 and
Embase 1980 to 2011 Week 25 and
CINAHL

[lymphadenopath$.mp. OR exp Lymph/ OR node$.mp.]

AND

[exp Neck/ or neck.mp. OR cervical.mp. OR anterior triangle.mp. OR posterior triangle.mp. OR lymph nodes.mp. OR exp Lymph Nodes/]

AND

[exp child/ OR child$.mp. OR exp pediatrics/ OR pediatric$.mp. OR paediatric$.mp. OR perinat$.mp. OR neonat$.mp. OR newborn$.mp. OR infan$.mp. OR bab$.mp. OR toddler$.mp. OR boy$.mp. OR girl$.mp. OR kid$1.mp. OR school?age.mp. OR juvenil$.mp. OR under?age$.mp. OR teen$.mp. OR minor$.mp. OR pubescen$.mp. OR adolescen$.mp. OR infan$.jw. OR child$.jw. OR pediatric$.jw. OR paediatric$.jw. OR adolescen$.jw.]

limit to (english language and humans)

Search Outcome

No papers were found

Comment(s)

No papers were found to answer this question resulting in a negative BET.

Clinical Bottom Line

Inconclusive due to insufficient evidence.