Kimura disease: diagnosis and prognostic factors.

OBJECTIVES

To establish a preoperative diagnostic system and examine prognostic factors for Kimura disease.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Hospital records were reviewed for nine cases of Kimura disease treated in our department. Preoperative eosinophil counts for 74 cases with untreated malignancy in the parotid gland were also examined.

RESULTS

Parotid swelling with inhomogeneities and subcutaneous invasion on magnetic resonance imaging and eosinophils > 10.5 percent in Asian patients clearly indicates Kimura disease. Eosinophils > 50 percent, serum IgE levels > 10,000 IU/mL, and multifocal lesions outside salivary glands are prognostic factors suggesting disease recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

A preoperative decision based on our diagnostic criteria and prognostic factors should lead to better therapeutic outcomes for Kimura disease, for which a definitive treatment policy has never been determined.