Kikuchi disease, macrophage activation syndrome, and systemic juvenile arthritis: a new case associated with a mutation in the perforin gene

Coincident Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease and adult-onset Still's disease: report of a patient from an uncommonly affected population and case-directed systematic review

Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease (KFD) and adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) are rare idiopathic inflammatory conditions of unknown etiology. Ten prior instances of KFD and AOSD occurring together have been reported in the medical literature. These overlaps, together with certain distinguishing clinical and laboratory characteristics in these co-occurrences, offer insight into the pathophysiology of both of these rare disorders. Too, examination of these cases may help improve the diagnostic evaluation and care of patients afflicted with these rare diseases. We therefore report an additional patient with KFD and AOSD occurring in a middle-aged Hispanic female patient and perform a systematic literature review using the PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase databases to further analyze and compare prior identified cases. Our observations in our index case complement and expand previous reports, including new demographic and diagnostic features not seen in prior cases of overlap. Indeed ours is the first in a patient of Hispanic ethnicity, with retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy, as well as with a skin biopsy consistent with AOSD. Each of the reviewed cases of co-occurrence met the diagnostic criteria for both KFD and AOSD. This finding, in the setting of unique clinical and diagnostic manifestations that are not typically seen in either disease entity alone, suggests the presence of an overlap syndrome. Also, many of the shared clinical features and symptomatic responses to targeted therapies implies a similar, yet still poorly understood, pathophysiologic pathway for the two diseases.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Associated with Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis: A Clinical Study of 13 Children and Literature Review

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pediatric hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) associated with histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL).

STUDY DESIGN

We retrospectively collected the clinical data of all children with HNL-HLH enrolled in Beijing Children's Hospital from 2007 to 2019. The control patients with Epstein-Barr virus-associated HLH and simple HNL (not associated with HLH) were case matched (1:2). The clinical features and prognosis were analyzed by case-control study. Cases of HNL-HLH in the literature were reviewed.

RESULTS

The male-to-female ratio of the 13 patients in our center was 9:4. The mean age of the patients at disease onset was 8.1 ± 1.2 years, younger than that of the 16 patients in the literature (P = .017). Clinical presentations, especially rash and splenomegaly, and laboratory examination of HNL-HLH group were statistically different from Epstein-Barr virus-HLH group, simple HNL group, and patients reported in the literature (P < .05). Three patients were treated with immunosuppressive drugs or chemotherapy owing to poor control of HLH. One patient died, and all 12 remaining patients survived, 2 of which developed autoimmune diseases. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed no statistical difference among the 3 groups (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

HNL-HLH is more common in school- and preschool-age children. Most patients have a favorable prognosis. Some patients suffer from relapses or develop autoimmune diseases. Prolonged follow-up should be carried out for patients with HNL-HLH.

Pulmonary Onset of Adult Onset Still's Disease Complicated with Kikuchi Lymphadenitis

BACKGROUND

Adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare inflammatory disorder with a variety of clinical presentations. Even though pneumonitis and pleurisy are known to occur in AOSD, pulmonary onset presentations are exceedingly rare. Case Presentation. We present a 40-year-old male, presenting with fever and bilateral alveolar shadows with pleural effusions mimicking community-acquired severe pneumonia. He was initially treated as severe pneumonia with poor response to broad spectrum antibiotics. Subsequently, he was managed as AOSD-induced pneumonitis, as he fulfilled Yamaguchi criteria. Few weeks later, he developed macular rash and arthralgia with generalized lymphadenopathy with lymph node histology, showing Kikuchi lymphadenitis. He responded well to steroids and had a complete recovery.

CONCLUSION

Non-infective causes of pneumonitis should be suspected in the setting of poorly resolving pneumonias, especially when microbiological and serological investigations does not support an infective etiology. Presence of systemic symptoms with arthralgia, rash, and disproportionately elevated ferritin level supports the diagnosis of AOSD. Kikuchi lymphadenitis is a reported association with AOSD, and there could be a causal link between the two disorders.

Evaluation of macrophage activation syndrome in hospitalised patients with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease based on the 2016 EULAR/ACR/PRINTO classification criteria

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the impact of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) on clinical features in patients with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) and to compare the features of MAS in KFD with those of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

The medical records of febrile patients hospitalised with KFD between November 2005 and April 2017 were reviewed. Patients fulfilling the 2016 classification criteria for MAS were classified as having MAS. Clinical and laboratory features of patients with KFD with and without MAS were evaluated. Poor hospitalisation outcomes were defined as intensive care unit admission or in-hospital mortality. The treatment outcomes of MAS in KFD, AOSD, and SLE were also compared.

RESULTS

Among 78 patients hospitalised with KFD, 24 (30.8%) patients had MAS during admission. Patients with KFD and MAS more frequently required glucocorticoid treatment (66.7% vs 40.7%, p = 0.036) and had longer hospital stays than patients with KFD without MAS (12.5 vs 8.5 days, p<0.001). In addition, patients with MAS had worse hospitalisation outcomes than patients without MAS (29.2% vs. 0.0%, p<0.001). Among patients with MAS in KFD, AOSD, and SLE, the number of patients requiring glucocorticoid treatment after 3 months was significantly lower among patients with MAS and KFD (KFD 33.3%, AOSD 88.9%, SLE 100%, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of MAS in KFD was associated with adverse clinical outcomes including higher steroid usage and worse hospitalisation outcomes. However, compared to those with AOSD and SLE, patients with MAS and KFD were less likely to require long-term glucocorticoid treatment.

Anakinra treatment in macrophage activation syndrome: a single center experience and systemic review of literature

Our aim was to report our experiences of pediatric macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) patients treated with anakinra and to review previous studies reporting anakinra treatment in pediatric MAS patients associated with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) or autoinflammatory diseases (AIDs). The study group consisted of pediatric MAS patients due to sJIA or AIDs, followed up in the Pediatric Rheumatology Unit of Hacettepe University between January 2015 and January 2017 and treated with anakinra (anti-IL1). We conducted a systematic review of the published literature involving pediatric MAS patients associated with sJIA or AIDs, treated with anakinra. Thirteen sJIA patients and two AIDs patients were included the study. Nineteen MAS episodes were observed in 15 patients. Anakinra (2 mg/kg/day) was started in with a median 1 day after admission. Clinical symptoms resolved, and laboratory findings normalized within median (minimum-maximum) 2 (1-4) and 6 (4-9) days, respectively after the introduction of anakinra. Steroid treatment was stopped in a median of 10 (4-13) weeks after the initiation of anakinra treatment. Patients were followed up for a median of 13 (6-24) months. Two patients developed recurrent MAS episodes when the anakinra dose was reduced, while the other patients achieved remission. In the literature review, we identified nine articles, describing 35 pediatric MAS patients associated with sJIA or AIDs and treated with anakinra. Except for two, all the patients reached remission. Our study and systematic literature review may help to improve the knowledge on the role of anakinra treatment in the management of MAS.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in children: two case reports and a review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a rare, idiopathic and generally self-limiting cause of lymphadenitis of unknow etiology with a low recurrence rate. The typical clinical signs are cervical lymphadenopathy, fever, and symptoms of respiratory infection, and less frequently chills, night sweats, arthralgia, rash, and weight loss.

CASE PRESENTATION

Here we describe two case reports of Kikuchi Fujimoto disease presenting in Milan within the space of a few months. The first involved the recurrence of KFD in a young boy from Sri Lanka; the second was a rare case of severe KFD complicated by HLH.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatricians must consider KFD in the differential diagnosis of fever of unknown origin in children, even in western countries. Although rare, recurrence and severe complications are possible. Where symptoms suggest KFD, a systematic diagnostic approach is key. Since no guidelines on the management of KFD are available, further studies should be conducted to investigate the therapeutic options and long term outcome in children.