title: Necrotizing lymphadenitis: Kikuchi--Fujimoto disease alias lupus lymphadenitis?
abstract: Differentiation between lymphadenopathy in potentially life-threatening systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and self-limiting necrotizing lymphadenitis, also called Kikuchi- Fujimoto disease (KFD), is difficult. In the past, co-occurrence of SLE and KFD has been described repeatedly in case reports. Here, we report a case of necrotizing lymphadenitis, describe the clinical and histopathologic features in detail and discuss the current literature. KFD may in fact be a histopathologic characteristic of SLE supporting the hypothesis that KFD is a rare manifestation of SLE. To clarify whether KFD is the same entity as lupus lymphadenitis, more cases with SLE and lymphadenopathy should be examined in detail.
authors.affiliation: Section for Tropical Medicine, I, Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jp
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmiedel
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Alegre
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Burchard
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Merz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020042:Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis