Lupus and Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease: A Combination for Catastrophe

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a self-limiting disease of idiopathic origin affecting young women characterized by unexplained fever and lymphadenopathy. It has been usually found to be associated with autoimmunity, of which systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most outstanding. Fever and lymphadenopathy carry a broad differential, and a missed diagnosis of a rare condition such as Kikuchi can lead to inappropriate treatment in an otherwise benign condition. Therefore, careful examination and histologic confirmation of the diagnosis are critical.