title: Kikuchi-fujimoto disease: clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is an uncommon disorder with worldwide distribution, characterized by fever and benign enlargement of the lymph nodes, primarily affecting young adults. Awareness about this disorder may help prevent misdiagnosis and inappropriate investigations and treatment. The objective of the study was to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of histopathologically confirmed cases of Kikuchi's disease from a tertiary care center in southern India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of all adult patients with histopathologically confirmed Kikuchi's disease from January 2007 to December 2011 in a 2700-bed teaching hospital in South India was done. The clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcome were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 22 histopathologically confirmed cases of Kikuchi's disease over the 5-year period of this study. The mean age of the subjects' was 29.7 years (SD 8.11) and majority were women (Male: female- 1:3.4). Apart from enlarged cervical lymph nodes, prolonged fever was the most common presenting complaint (77.3%). The major laboratory features included anemia (54.5%), increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (31.8%), elevated alanine aminotransferase (27.2%) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (31.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even though rare, Kikuchi's disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of young individuals, especially women, presenting with lymphadenopathy and prolonged fever. Establishing the diagnosis histopathologically is essential to avoid inappropriate investigations and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Ps
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rakesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Reginald G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Alex
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Varghese
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Prasad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Thambu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: David
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Marie Therese
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Manipadam
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Ooriapadickal Cherian
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Abraham
keywords: Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis; Kikuchi; Lymphadenopathy; Prolonged fever