[A rare cause of febrile polyadenopathy in children: Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease]

Arch Pediatr. 2012 Jan;19(1):38-41. doi: 10.1016/j.arcped.2011.10.003. Epub 2011 Dec 12.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Kikuchi disease is a histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis revealed by cervical lymphadenopathy and prolonged fever. It occurs predominantly in young Asian women. The pathophysiology is unknown; the main hypothesis is an autoimmune process. Although the disease usually resolves spontaneously in a few weeks or months, it may progress to systemic lupus erythematosus. Kikuchi disease is rare in children, but it should be considered a potential diagnosis in case of polyadenopathy. We relate a case of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in a 13-year-old boy with sickle-cell anemia. The diagnosis, which was established after 3 weeks of hospitalization, enabled us to avoid unnecessary extensive investigations and prolonged empirical treatments that may result in unintended adverse side effects.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anemia, Sickle Cell / complications*
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fever / diagnosis*
  • Fever / drug therapy
  • Fever / etiology*
  • Fever / immunology
  • Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis / complications*
  • Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis / diagnosis*
  • Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis / drug therapy
  • Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis / immunology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal