ABSTRACT
Kawasaki disease (KD), particularly incomplete form, might present with wide spectrum clinical features. The treatment regimen includes a combination of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) and aspirin. The use of steroids has been studied as an adjunctive therapy and its role in preventing coronary artery (CA) complications is still debatable. Here, we are presenting a rare presentation of incomplete KD. A previously healthy 5-year-old Arab girl, presented with clinical features consistent with pneumonia, rash, and enlarged cervical lymph nodes. On admission, antibiotics were administered intravenously in addition to steroids considering her reactive airway disease history which resulted in interim improvement. Yet, upon clinical worsening, her clinical status was revised, laboratory and physical examination revealed raised inflammatory markers, new opacity of pulmonary consolidation on chest X-ray, and peeling of skin. Because of high clinical suspicion of incomplete KD combined with her echocardiography that showed prominent coronary arteries, diagnosis of incomplete KD was made. After treating her with IVIG and aspirin, the patient made a full recovery. We are reporting pneumonia-like presentation of incomplete KD. High index of suspicion is required to diagnosis and treat promptly to prevent complications.
ABSTRACT
This is a descriptive study of the occurrence of Kawasaki disease (KD) in an urban population that was a majority of African Americans. Records of 189 children (mean age, 2.9 +/- 2.2 years [range: 2 months to 11.1 years]) hospitalized for KD over 8 years (January 1, 1992 to December 31, 1999) were reviewed and data analyzed. One hundred thirty-six (72%) were African American (AA), 43 (23%) were white, and 9 (5%) children were "others.'' The annual frequency was 15 for AA and 7.7 for white per 100,000 5-year-old children. Coronary artery abnormalities (CAA) were reported in 21 (11%) children (18 [13.2%] of 136 AA, and 3 [4.7%] of 43 whites [p=0.095]). AA children with CAA were older than their white counterparts (26 to 24 vs. 5 to 2.8 months, p=0.03). There was a higher occurrence in winter and spring (110 cases [58%] vs. 79 cases [42%]) compared to summer and fall. KD occurrence was positively associated with average monthly snowfall (r=0.35, p=0.004) and inversely associated with average monthly temperature (r = - 0.2, p=0.048). African-American children were more likely to be hospitalized for KD compared to white children. The association of KD with temperature and precipitation suggest that it is influenced by environmental factors.
