What are the causes of mild splenomgaly?
In condition like splenomegaly, the spleen becomes enlarged. This enlarged spleen is divided into three categories according to its size. These are: mild (1-3 cm below the costal margin), moderate (4-8 cm below the costal margin) and massive (more than 8cm: crossing umbilicus). Spleen is a lymphatic organ and is involved in recognizing antibody labelled bacteria, clearing old cells and iron recycling. Patient with splenomegaly presents as: weight loss, pallor, lymphadenopathy, fatigue, night sweats, fever, and abdominal pain or as an incidental finding. Mild splenomegaly can be caused by: myelo and lymph proliferative disorders, portal hypertension, infective endocarditis, EBV, viral hepatitis, hemolytic anemia and autoimmune causes like SLE.