Kikuchi disease is a subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis characterized by fever, cervical lymphadenopathy and benign self-limiting course in young women especially, but rare in children. Their etiopathology is still unknown, but involved viruses and autoimmune mechanism were proposed. We investigated the clinical and laboratory characteristics of Kikuchi disease in children.

Five patients were diagnosed of Kikuchi disease from January 2001 to June 2006 in Kyunghee University Hospital. We reviewed their medical records retrospectively and analyzed clinical and laboratory findings.

The mean age of 5 patients (male to female ratio; 2:3) was 9 yr 9 mon(range: 8 yr 2 mon–12 yr 6 mon). The chief complaints were sustained fever and cervical lymph node that was unilateral, tender and swollen. All patients were treated with antibiotics before diagnosis was made, and rash developed in 2 patients. One patient showed necrotic change in ultrasound with which we suspected Kikuchi disease. Three patients were examined by CT scan additionally. The interval between admission and cervical lymph node excisional biopsy ranged from 6 days to 15 days, and mean period was 9.6 days. All pathological findings were compatible to necrotizing lymphandenitis.

Unnecessary laboratory and imaging studies, and treatment with antibiotics tend to be done before making diagnosis, and that caused prolonged hospitalization. Therefore we studied the clinical and laboratory characteristics of Kikuchi disease in children.