Case Report

Kikuchi's Disease Accompanied by Lupus-like Butterfly Rash

CHIE OKUZAWA, TAKASHI KUROIWA, YORIAKI KANEKO, KAZUE UEKI, YOSHITO TSUKADA, and YOSHIHISA NOJIMA

ABSTRACT.

Kikuchi's disease (KD) is a benign and self-limiting lymphadenitis, particularly affecting young women. KD is often associated with fever, arthralgia, and leukopenia, features also found in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lymphadenitis associated with SLE is indistinguishable from that in KD, and the association of KD and SLE has been previously reported. We describe a case of KD who developed a typical butterfly rash, reminiscent of SLE. However, histological and laboratory findings excluded the diagnosis of SLE. This case emphasizes that careful differential diagnosis between KD and SLE is required. (J Rheumatol 2003;30:857-9)

Key Indexing Terms:

KIKUCHI'S DISEASE
SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS
BUTTERFLY RASH
HISTIOCYTIC NECROTIZING LYMPHADENITIS

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From the Third Department of Internal Medicine, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan

C. Okuzawa, MD; T. Kuroiwa, MD, PhD; Y. Kaneko, MD, PhD; K. Ueki, MD, PhD; Y. Tsukada, MD, PhD; Y. Nojima, MD, PhD, Professor of Internal Medicine (Rheumatology).

Address reprint requests to Dr. T. Kuroiwa, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Gunma University School of Medicine, 3-39-15 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan 371-8500. E-mail: tkuroiwa@med.gunma-u.ac.jp

Submitted February 4, 2002; revision accepted September 19, 2002.

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