Case Report: Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma following pretransplant nephrectomy for a 2.35 Kg kidney

Abstract

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is an extremely rare disease with a worldwide distribution and higher prevalence in Asians. It is a benign and self-limiting disorder, characterized by regional cervical lymphadenopathy accompanied with mild fever and night sweats. Lymph node histopathology is diagnostic and treating physicians should be aware of this entity as it may mimic other systemic diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus, tuberculosis, malignant lymphoma, and more rarely adenocarcinoma. Key features on lymph node biopsy are fragmentation, necrosis and karyorrhexis. Treatment includes symptomatic care, analgesics-antipyretics, corticosteroids and spontaneous recovery occurs in 1 to 4 months. We report a case of adult polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) with end stage renal disease and episodes of fever and cervical lymphadenopathy. The infectious screen was negative and on extensive workup, the patient was found to have histiocytic-necrotizing lymphadenitis, which clinched the diagnosis of KFD.