Table 2.

Hematological and rheumatological mimickers of IgG4-RD

DiseasePHGGHigh serum IgG4IgG4-enriched LADEosinophiliaRPFHigh CRPOther overlap with IgG4-RDContrasting features and notes
IgG4-RD—proliferative ++++ ++++ ++++ ++ Rare N/A Skin, synovium, bone, parenchymal brain involvement rare
Autoantibodies negative or weak positive 
IgG4-RD—fibrotic ++ ++ ++ ++++ Typically low, but can be high in active aortitis N/A Skin, synovium, parenchymal brain involvement rare
Nasal/facial bones can be involved in EAF but other bones are not involved
Autoantibodies negative or weak positive 
Multicentric CD (particularly iMCD-IPL) +++ +++ +++ − − ++++ Albuminuria Fever
High CRP 
Still’s disease +++ − − ++++  Skin rash
Synovitis
Pleural/pericardial effusions
Cardiomyositis 
Sjӧgren syndrome ++ ++ − Variable Tubulointerstitial nephritis
Sicca 
Sicca more severe in Sjӧgren syndrome
Strongly positive autoantibodies 
Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome ++++ − Rare  αβ double negative T cells
FAS gene mutations
Lymphocytosis
Immune cytopenias 
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis +++ +++ ++ ++++ − ++++ Asthma
Atopy
High IgE 
Cardiomyopathy/myocarditis
Skin involvement 
Lymphocyte-variant hypereosinophilic syndrome ++++ − ++ Asthma
Atopy
High IgE 
Skin lesions in >90% of patients with L-HES 
IgG4-secreting B-cell lymphoma ++ (or monoclonal) ++ ++++ ++  Clonal B cells 
T-cell NHL (AITCL, HSTCL) ++ ++ ++ ++  Clonal T cells 
Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease +++ ++ +++ ++ Autoimmune pancreatitis
Hypertrophic pachymeningitis 
Skin
Bone
Large histiocytes with emperipolesis
MAPK mutations 
Erdheim-Chester disease ++ ++ − ++ (hairy kidney) +++  Skin (xanthelasmas)
Bone
Large histiocytes
BRAF in 50% 
Langerhan’s cell histiocytosis +++  Skin (xanthelasmas)
Bone
Liver
CD1a+ histiocytes
BRAF in 50% 
Sarcoidosis ++ (PHGG or MGUS) − ++ Pulmonary lesions Uveitis
Erythema nodosum
High ACE level
Noncaseating granuloma 
DiseasePHGGHigh serum IgG4IgG4-enriched LADEosinophiliaRPFHigh CRPOther overlap with IgG4-RDContrasting features and notes
IgG4-RD—proliferative ++++ ++++ ++++ ++ Rare N/A Skin, synovium, bone, parenchymal brain involvement rare
Autoantibodies negative or weak positive 
IgG4-RD—fibrotic ++ ++ ++ ++++ Typically low, but can be high in active aortitis N/A Skin, synovium, parenchymal brain involvement rare
Nasal/facial bones can be involved in EAF but other bones are not involved
Autoantibodies negative or weak positive 
Multicentric CD (particularly iMCD-IPL) +++ +++ +++ − − ++++ Albuminuria Fever
High CRP 
Still’s disease +++ − − ++++  Skin rash
Synovitis
Pleural/pericardial effusions
Cardiomyositis 
Sjӧgren syndrome ++ ++ − Variable Tubulointerstitial nephritis
Sicca 
Sicca more severe in Sjӧgren syndrome
Strongly positive autoantibodies 
Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome ++++ − Rare  αβ double negative T cells
FAS gene mutations
Lymphocytosis
Immune cytopenias 
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis +++ +++ ++ ++++ − ++++ Asthma
Atopy
High IgE 
Cardiomyopathy/myocarditis
Skin involvement 
Lymphocyte-variant hypereosinophilic syndrome ++++ − ++ Asthma
Atopy
High IgE 
Skin lesions in >90% of patients with L-HES 
IgG4-secreting B-cell lymphoma ++ (or monoclonal) ++ ++++ ++  Clonal B cells 
T-cell NHL (AITCL, HSTCL) ++ ++ ++ ++  Clonal T cells 
Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease +++ ++ +++ ++ Autoimmune pancreatitis
Hypertrophic pachymeningitis 
Skin
Bone
Large histiocytes with emperipolesis
MAPK mutations 
Erdheim-Chester disease ++ ++ − ++ (hairy kidney) +++  Skin (xanthelasmas)
Bone
Large histiocytes
BRAF in 50% 
Langerhan’s cell histiocytosis +++  Skin (xanthelasmas)
Bone
Liver
CD1a+ histiocytes
BRAF in 50% 
Sarcoidosis ++ (PHGG or MGUS) − ++ Pulmonary lesions Uveitis
Erythema nodosum
High ACE level
Noncaseating granuloma 

ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; AITCL, angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma; EAF, eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis; HSTCL, hepatosplenic T cell lymphoma; NHL, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

or Create an Account

Close Modal
Close Modal