Distribution of lymphadenopathy in patients with Kikuchi disease

Cervical lymphadenopathy is among the cardinal manifestations of Kikuchi disease (KD). The incidences and locations of extra-cervical lymph nodes (LNs) involvement in KD have not been comprehensively reported.

From 2003 to 2016, 60 patients with pathologically confirmed KD and with computed tomography and/or whole-body inflammation scans at diagnosis were retrospectively identified. The locations, sizes and characteristics of all affected LNs were analyzed by extensive review of the image studies. The clinical and laboratory parameters were abstracted from medical records and the associations with extra-cervical LNs involvement were identified.

Female accounted for 35 (58.3%) patients and the median age of all patients was 21.3 years (ranges, 3-64 years). Of 59 patients with evaluable neck images, 42 (71.2%) and 16 (27.1%) patients presented with unilateral and bilateral nodal involvement, respectively, with the most common locations at level II, III and IV by Som's classification. The largest LNs appeared most commonly in level II. The incidences of extra-cervical lymphadenopathy in abdomen, pelvis, inguina, axilla and mediastinum with available images were respectively 52.9% (9/17), 47.1% (8/17), 41.2% (7/17), 30.6% (11/36) and 14.3% (8/56). When compared to cases with solitary cervical lymphadenopathy, the cases with extra-cervical lymphadenopathy had significantly greater incidences of bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy (P = .0379) and leukopenia (P = .0173).

Unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy was the most frequent form of LNs involvement of KD. Extra-cervical lymphadenopathy was not uncommon and was associated with the appearance of bilateral distribution of cervical LNs and leukopenia.