Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (kikuchi-fujimoto Disease) : a study of 14 cases from Qatar

To define the demographic, clinical and laboratory features, and outcome of patients with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in Qatar and to compare it with those reported by others, fourteen cases of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease seen at Hamad Medical Corporation between 1995 and 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. Unusually there was an unexplained male predominance amongst the ten males and four females even amongst the Qatari nationals who comprised 57 % of the cases. All had lymphadenopathy, mostly cervical, and less commonly fever, anorexia, chills, weight loss, hepatome¬galy, and skin rash. The diagnosis was made by lymph node biopsy, with no indication of any etiologic agent. All patients survived although symptomatic treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids was required in five patients. There was recurrence in two patients. It seems that Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is rare in Qatar although the incidence might be increasing possibly due to greater awareness amongst clinicians. The clinical features are similar to those reported by others but certain diagnosis requires lymph node biopsy. The outcome is good.