Splenomegaly: an(other) approach to its causes (2)

OK, time for the second way of remembering the causes of splenomegaly. The first possible method was to list the causes by pathogenesis; now, however, we'll try to remember them by aetiology. For this we'll use what is sometimes known as a "surgical sieve" - a laundry list of aetiological headings that can be applied to almost any condition.

Splenomegaly II: By aetiology

• Infectious - CMV, EBV, HIV, endocarditis, TB, malaria, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, histoplasmosis
• Inflammatory - sarcoid, amyloidosis
• Neoplastic - lymphomas, leukaemias, myeloproliferative disorders, metastases
• Autoimmune - haemolytic anaemias
• Metabolic - Gaucher's, mucopolysaccharidoses
• Vascular - portal hypertension, splenic vein obstruction, haemoglobinopathies, nutritional anaemias

(OK, I know you might have quibbles shoehorning "amyloidosis" into the 'inflammatory' heading, but it saves a clumsy 'other' category. Work with me...)