Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.  2011 Dec;21(4):326-333.

Discrimination Between Childhood Subacute Necrotizing Lymphadenitis and Nonspecific Cervical Lymph Hyperplasia for Earlier Diagnosis

• Chung EJ
• Kwon YH
• Jang YS
• Baek HS
• Jang KS
• Park CK
• Park JS
• Oh JW
• Lee HB

Abstract

PURPOSE
We conducted this research to make an earlier diagnosis and identify better treatment for Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) by comparing clinical findings with nonspecifically enlarged cervical lymph nodes in children.
METHODS
Nineteen patients were diagnosed with KFD by tissue pathology from a fine needle aspiration biopsy and/or excisional biopsy and were compared with the clinical, radiological, and pathological findings of reactive hyperplasia.
RESULTS
The average onset age of onset for patients with KFD was 11.8+/-3.61 years, and the male to female ratio was 1:1.1, whereas patients with reactive hyperplasia were 11.8+/-5.96 years, and the male to female ratio was 1.7:1. Patients with KFD suffered more from fever than patients with reactive hyperplasia (68% vs. 13%, P=0.002). Patients with KFD showed perinodal infiltration (P=0.001) and necrosis on computed tomography, whereas patients with reactive hyperplasia did not show any of these findings. Ultrasonographic findings were similar between the two study groups. In contrast, the histopathological examinations of biopsied cervical lymph nodes were enormously helpful for distinguishing the findings of KFD from those of patients with reactive hyperplasia.
CONCLUSION
We recommend a histopathological examination to distinguish KFD from reactive hyperplasia in children with significantly enlarged cervical lymph nodes.

Keyword

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease; Subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis; Reactive hyperplasia

MeSH Terms

Age of Onset
Biopsy
Biopsy, Fine-Needle
Child
Discrimination (Psychology)
Female
Fever
Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis
Humans
Hyperplasia
Lymph Nodes
Lymphadenitis
Male
Necrosis

Reference

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