Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Kikuchi’s Disease: Presentation of a Case and Review of the Literature

Abstract

We report the case of a 19-year-old woman with a history of Hashimoto's thyroiditis who presented with tender right anterior cervical lymphadenopathy and fever. Workup for infectious, autoimmune, and malignant causes was unremarkable. Surgical removal of cervical lymph nodes after detailed magnetic resonance (MR) imaging disclosed necrotizing lymphadenitis, also known as Kikuchi's disease (KD). The patient was treated with a short-term course of steroids, due to the onset of pancytopenia and borderline antiphospholipid antibodies combined with increased anti-thyroglobulin (anti-TG) titers. Despite being a diagnosis of exclusion, KD should be included in the differential of such patients, particularly in cases of previous or concurrent autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which necessitate a long-term follow-up.

Kikuchi’s Disease: A Case Report

“…Awareness of this disorder will help to prevent misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment as it is strongly associated with autoimmune disorders like hashimoto's thyroiditis or systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) and mimic lymphoma, TB etc. 4…”

Association Kikuchi disease with Hashimoto thyroiditis: a case report and literature review

“…Recently, Kang et al [ 7 ] reported that of 86 children and adolescents who were diagnosed with KFD, 2 were also found to be afflicted with thyroiditis. However, there have been few reports about the potential relationship between Hashimoto thyroiditis with KFD [ 8 , 9 ]. Therefore, we report a case of Hashimoto thyroiditis in a girl with a history of KFD.…”

Sporadic medullary microcarcinoma in a male patient with concurrent Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism and Kikuchi disease

“…Further evaluation of these relationships, however, is necessary. To the best of our knowledge, all seven previously reported cases of KD associated with HT occurred in females between the ages of 17 and 30 [1-4]. Three of these patients were diagnosed with HT before an episode of KD, whereas four patients were diagnosed with concurrent HT and KD.…”

“…Kikuchi disease (KD), also known as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenopathy, is a rare, benign condition usually characterized by cervical lymphadenopathy and fever [1]. The etiology of KD remains controversial, but autoimmune disorders including systemic lupus erythematous, tend to develop before, simultaneously, or after an episode of KD [2].…”

“…The etiology of KD remains controversial, but autoimmune disorders including systemic lupus erythematous, tend to develop before, simultaneously, or after an episode of KD [2]. However, only a few KD cases have been reported with autoimmune thyroiditis [1-4]. Here, we report a case of a male patient with concurrent Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and KD.…”