Kikuchi Fujimoto Disease: An Unusual Association with Bicytopenia Mimicking Lymphoma

Ahmed Hashim^1, , Mohamedanwar Ghandour², Hammam Shereef¹, Ahmed H Abdulrahim³, Rabia Bangash¹, Faisal Musa⁴ and Fadi Abu Yasin⁵

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Beaumont Health- Dearborn, MI, USA

²Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA

³Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA

⁴Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Beaumont Health- Dearborn, MI, USA

⁵Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Beaumont Health- Dearborn, MI, USA

Cite this paper:
Ahmed Hashim, Mohamedanwar Ghandour, Hammam Shereef, Ahmed H Abdulrahim, Rabia Bangash, Faisal Musa and Fadi Abu Yasin. Kikuchi Fujimoto Disease: An Unusual Association with Bicytopenia Mimicking Lymphoma. American Journal of Medical Case Reports. 2021; 9(6):321-324. doi: 10.12691/ajmcr-9-6-4

Abstract

We report a case of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) in an 18-year-old African American female who presents with a high-grade fever, sweating, and painful right-sided cervical lymphadenopathy. Lab analysis showed leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and an elevated C-reactive protein. The remaining infectious and autoimmune work-up was negative. Given her clinical presentation, an infectious etiology was suspected, and broad-spectrum antibiotics were empirically started. Bicytopenia in the setting of lymphadenopathy raised the suspicion for lymphoma with bone marrow infiltration. An excisional biopsy was performed, and a histological exam of the lymph nodes showed necrotizing histiocytic lymphadenitis consistent with KFD. She was discharged on Naproxen and Tylenol with a referral to Rheumatology. This case highlights the rarity of bicytopenia in KFD and the importance of early and prompt diagnosis in order to avoid unnecessary testing and inappropriate treatment.

Keywords:
Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease lymphadenopathy

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