Kimura's disease in children: a 9 years prospective study

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pediatric Medicine
• Head and Neck Surgery

Background:

• Kimura's disease is a rare, chronic inflammatory disorder affecting subcutaneous tissues, primarily in the head and neck.
• Lesions can mimic neoplasms, necessitating awareness among head and neck surgeons.
• Association with lymphadenopathy and salivary gland enlargement is common.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical presentations, management strategies, and complications of Kimura's disease in pediatric patients.
• To evaluate treatment outcomes and recurrence rates in children diagnosed with Kimura's disease.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study conducted over 9 years (1998-2006) included 18 histopathologically confirmed cases of Kimura's disease.
• Diagnostic procedures included blood eosinophil count, serum IgE estimation, fine needle aspiration cytology, and excision biopsy.
• Treatment modalities included surgery (excision biopsy) and corticosteroid therapy.

Main Results:

• Painless head and neck swelling was the primary presentation, with the post-auricular region being the most common site (50%).
• Elevated blood eosinophil counts (88.8%) and serum IgE levels (83.3%) were frequently observed.
• Surgical treatment resulted in a significantly lower recurrence rate (6.6%) compared to steroid therapy (66.6%).

Conclusions:

• Kimura's disease commonly involves the post-auricular region and affects individuals in their second decade of life.
• Surgery is the preferred treatment modality due to a lower recurrence rate compared to steroids.
• Nephrotic syndrome is the identified systemic complication.