Ischemic stroke in Kawasaki disease

Pediatric stroke is considered to be rare. Stroke resulting from cerebral vasculitis is also uncommon in young children. With the increasing prevalence of Kawasaki disease (KD) diagnosis, this acquired vasculitis has been reported with various clinical presentations including neurological symptoms. Herein we describe the case of a KD patient presenting with stroke. A 15‐month‐old boy was referred due to stroke that occurred on the fifth day of febrile illness. He was initially admitted to another hospital due to fever and diarrhea. He was discharged and re‐admitted 2 days afterward due to left hemiplegia. During the 10 days of the second hospitalization, he had a presumptive diagnosis of encephalomeningitis. Upon referral to the present hospital, he was found to have right middle cerebral artery branch stenosis and fusiform aneurysms of the coronary arteries. Retrospectively, the patient had the full clinical criteria for KD diagnosis. Therefore, stroke could be considered as one of the uncommon clinical manifestations of KD.     

Kawasaki disease in india

Kawasaki disease was first described 30 years ago. The authors report 5 children with Kawasaki disease who presented within 18-month-period and describe their clinical presentation and management.     

Epidemiologic picture of Kawasaki disease in Korea, 2000–2002

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence rate and epidemiologic patterns of Kawasaki disease in Korea for a 3 year period during 2000 to 2002. METHODS: An epidemiologic survey on Kawasaki disease was retrospectively performed. The questionnaire was sent to all 112 hospitals having pediatric residency programs, and obtained data were analyzed. RESULTS: The 9150 cases of Kawasaki disease from 92 hospitals which responded (response rate, 82.1%) included 5515 males and 3635 females (male : female ratio, 1.52:1). The incidence rate per 100,000 children <5 years old was 73.7 in 2000, and increased to 90.8 in 2001, and 95.5 in 2002 (average rate, 86.4). The monthly number of patients was slightly higher in May, June and July. Their mean age of onset, the proportion of sibling cases, and a rate of recurrent cases were 30.5 months, 0.17%, and 2.9%, respectively. Coronary arterial abnormalities occurred in 18.6% of cases including dilatations of 17.3% and aneurysms of 3.1%. CONCLUSION: The average annual incidence, 86.4/100 000 in children <5 years old is the second highest rate in the world.     

Epidemiological features of Kawasaki disease in Korea, 2006–2008

Background: The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and describe the epidemiological characteristics of Kawasaki disease among children in Korea. Methods: Questionnaires for surveying the epidemiology of Kawasaki disease were distributed to a total of 101 hospitals that conduct pediatric residency programs. Then, we retrospectively obtained the data, which covered a three‐year period (2006–2008) and analyzed them. Results: During the three‐year study period, a total of 9039 cases of Kawasaki disease were reported from 84 hospitals (response rate, 83.2%), comprising 5375 boys and 3664 girls (male : female ratio, 1.47:1). The outbreak rate per 100 000 children <5 years old was 108.7 in 2006, 118.3 in 2007 and 112.5 in 2008 (average rate, 113.1). The seasonal distribution showed a slightly higher incidence rate in winter and summer. The patients’ mean age of onset was 32.6 months, while the proportions of sibling cases and recurrent cases were 0.17% and 2.2%, respectively. Coronary arterial abnormalities were detected during follow up by echocardiogram in 17.5% of all cases including dilatations (16.4%) and aneurysms (2.1%). Conclusions: The average annual incidence rate of Kawasaki disease in Korea has been continuously increasing, and reached 113.1/100 000 children <5 years old, which is the second highest rate in the world.     

A practical approach to refractory Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a medium vessel vasculitis and is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in childhood. If left untreated, KD leads to coronary artery aneurysms in 15–25% of patients and the mortality rate in the UK is currently 0.4%. As such, KD is an important preventable cause of heart disease in the young. The aetiology of KD remains unknown, but most likely it represents an aberrant inflammatory host response to one or more as yet unidentified immunological trigger(s) in genetically predisposed individuals. The purpose of this article is not to provide an exhaustive review of KD. Rather we provide practical guidance to the clinical approach to refractory KD. Only brief background on the pathogenesis and epidemiology of KD, and emerging newer clinical trials is provided, to place our clinical approach in context.     

Nephrotic syndrome in Kawasaki disease

Abstract Renal manifestations in Kawasaki disease are rare, and nephrotic syndrome in this disorder has not been described previously. We report a 3 month old infant with Kawasaki disease, presenting with nephrotic syndrome which responded to steroid therapy. The patient, however, developed coronary aneurysms and died of acute myocardial infarction.     

Successful pregnancy after coronary artery bypass grafting for Kawasaki disease

Abstract A 13-year-old girl with a history of Kawasaki disease underwent coronary artery bypass grafting because of angina pectoris due to a giant coronary artery aneurysm on the left main trunk artery. Nine years after the operation, the patient had an uneventful pregnancy followed by a normal vaginal delivery. This is the first case of a successful pregnancy after coronary artery bypass grafting for Kawasaki coronary artery disease.     

Incidence and clinical features of incomplete Kawasaki disease

During the nine-year period from 1983 to 1991, a total of 242 patients (142 males and 100 females) presenting with Kawasaki disease were seen at one hospital. Among them, 25 (10%) patients demonstrated incomplete Kawasaki disease and 17 of these 25 (68%) lacked two of the six principal symptoms of Kawasaki disease, with the most frequently missing symptoms being cervical lymphadenopathy and polymorphous exanthema. The typical laboratory features of Kawasaki disease, such as elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leukocytosis, anemia, positive C-reactive protein and thrombocytosis were also seen in the incomplete cases. None of the 25 patients underwent iv gamma-globulin therapy while in 1 (4%), transient dilatation of the coronary artery was recognized. Incomplete Kawasaki disease may therefore be characterized by a less frequent association of rash, cervical lymphadenopathy and coronary involvement.     

Neutrophilic involvement in the damage to coronary arteries in acute stage of Kawasaki disease

BACKGROUND: There has been no morphological evidence that polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) infiltrate the coronary arterial lesions of acute Kawasaki disease (KD) patients, although clinical data indicate the activation of PMNL. METHODS: The experimental materials consisted of eight autopsy patients who died during the acute phase of KD. Duration of the illness ranged from 6 to 32 days. The tissues were fixed and embedded in paraffin. Hematoxylin and eosin, elastica van Gieson and azan-Mallory stainings were performed for routine histological examination. In addition, antibodies to CD3, CD20, CD68 and neutrophil elastase were used for immunohistochemistry to identify infiltrating cells in arterial lesions. RESULTS: The inflammatory cells that appeared in the coronary arterial lesions were mainly composed of macrophages in all patients. In addition, numerous neutrophils were also identified in the coronary arterial lesions of the patients who died 10 days after the onset of KD. Neutrophilic infiltration reached a peak earlier than the peaks of CD68+ macrophages, CD3+ T lymphocytes and CD20+ B lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that neutrophils are involved in the damage occurring to coronary arteries in the early stage of KD. Vasodilation might occur as a result of injury to vascular walls caused by neutrophils, as well as macrophages.     

川崎病合并多发体循环动脉病变1例报告并文献复习

目的报告1例川崎病(Kawasaki disease,KD)合并多发体循环动脉病变并复习文献,以提高对该病的认识和临床诊疗水平。方法根据患儿的症状、体征、心脏超声及体动脉B超等检查结果进行诊断,并结合文献资料进行分析。结果女孩,5个月,诊断川崎病合并双侧冠状动脉瘤,符合静脉注射丙种球蛋白(intra-venous immunoglobulin,IVIG)无反应性川崎病诊断标准,体循环动脉B超提示存在多发体动脉病变。结论川崎病合并多发体循环动脉病变较罕见,应提高认识,及时诊断并长期随诊监测病情变化。     

冠状动脉造影追踪观察川崎病引起的巨大冠状动脉瘤

目的 探讨川崎病(KD)导致的巨大冠状动脉瘤(GCAA)的中远期变化特点,为此类儿童进入青少年期后心血管意外事件的防治提供依据.方法 采用冠状动脉造影(CAG)、超声心动图及心电图检查对12例急性期合并GCAA的KD患儿[男10例,女2例;发病年龄1～10(4.05±2.50)岁]进行2～10年追踪观察,分析该组患儿冠状动脉损害的变化特点.结果 本组患儿除2例急性期超声心动图诊断为单发右冠状动脉巨大瘤外,其余10例均为双侧多发冠状动脉瘤.随访CAG发现8例出现右冠状动脉节段性狭窄,其中右冠状动脉闭塞并桥样新生血管形成3例,多节段局域性狭窄4例,右冠状动脉全程编织样损害(血栓性闭塞并簇状新生血管)1例.本组9例冠状动脉瘤经治疗后仍有不同程度的存在,其中4例左前降支瘤远端血流充盈明显减慢.仅1例患儿(1/12) CAG见双侧冠状动脉瘤回缩至轻度扩张,未见狭窄及其他改变.本组12例患儿随访2 ～ 10年,均无自觉症状,活动未受限.静息心电图1例发现病理Q波,其余11例结果正常.静息心电图正常的11例患儿行药物负荷心电图检查仅1例出现多导联S-T段下移及T波低平;与同期CAG比较,超声心动图检出12例患儿冠状动脉近段形态改变,5例发现可疑室壁运动异常,但对观察冠状动脉中、远段狭窄欠敏感;对4例冠状动脉闭塞并新生血管形成的病例,超声观察均未能提示.结论 KD引起的GCAA损害可在急性期后长期存在.表现为GCAA持续存在、回缩、冠状动脉闭塞、局部狭窄及血管再形成等.本病缺乏临床表现,常规心电图及超声心动图对KD后遗症期冠状动脉形态及功能损害检查欠敏感,CAG对本病的追踪观察有重要价值.     

Absence of hypercoagulability in acute Kawasaki disease

BACKGROUND: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis syndrome with the striking feature of cardiovascular involvement. Endothelial cell (EC) damage has been suggested to predispose individuals to the development of coronary vascular disorders. When EC are perturbed, prethrombotic complications ensue. The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical relevance of EC activation and hypercoagulability in the pathogenesis of KD and to determine if plasma levels of these markers are correlated with the development of coronary aneurysms. METHODS: EC function and coagulation status were assessed in 52 patients with acute KD, 20 febrile control subjects, and 20 healthy control subjects. Biological markers of EC and hypercoagulability were measured and included thrombomodulin, tissue factor, tissue factor pathway inhibitor, von Willebrand factor (vWF), coagulation factor VII (FVII), activated factor VII, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2), and D-dimer. RESULTS: Transient dilatation of coronary arteries was the most common complication (55.8%), and coronary aneurysm was noted in five patients (9.6%). Levels of vWF, FVII, F1 + 2 and D-dimer were higher in acute KD patients compared with healthy controls but not febrile controls. Markers of EC and hypercoagulability were not different between patients with cardiac complications and those without cardiac complications. Biological and immunological assays did not demonstrate the prethrombotic state in acute KD. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that hypercoagulability does not occur during the acute stage of KD. Markers of EC damage and hypercoagulability are not predictive of coronary aneurysms in KD.     

Current issues in Kawasaki disease

The most important clinical aspect of Kawasaki disease is the cardiovascular problems. This article reports on the cardiovascular spectrum in acute Kawasaki disease, analysis of myocardial infarction and fatal cases, a follow-up study on the natural history of coronary artery lesions, long-term cardiovascular problems including premature atherosclerosis, problems in the adult cardiology and the treatment of acute Kawasaki disease. The etiology and pathogenesis of this disease are still unknown. Current hypotheses and leading studies on the etiology and the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease are also reviewed.     

Prevalence of coronary artery abnormality in incomplete Kawasaki disease

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of coronary artery abnormality (CAA) and other clinical features in patients with incomplete Kawasaki disease (iKD) using the data from the 17th Japanese nationwide survey of KD. METHODS: iKD was defined as the presence of four or fewer of the principal symptoms of the Japanese diagnostic guidelines, regardless of whether the patient had CAA. A total of 15,857 cases were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 15,857 cases, 83.9% of patients had five to six principal symptoms (complete KD: cKD), and 16.1% had iKD. The prevalence of CAA in cKD was 14.2%, and 18.4% in iKD. The prevalence of CAA in patients with four principal symptoms was 18.1%, which was higher than in cKD cases (14.2%). Although the reliability of the data has some limitations, the prevalence of CAA among patients with one to three symptoms was 19.3%. Among all CAA patients, 14% had four symptoms, and 6% had only one to three symptoms. CONCLUSION: Incomplete KD should not be equated with mild KD. Patients with four principal symptoms were comparable to cKD with respect to CAA occurrence. In patients with one to three symptoms also, especially in those under 1 year and older than 4 years of age, other significant symptoms and laboratory findings of the guidelines are very important in making a correct and early diagnosis of iKD so as to prevent CAA.     

Kawasaki disease with severe cardiac sequelae: lessons from recent New Zealand experience

OBJECTIVES: To review recent cases of Kawasaki disease (KD) with significant cardiac sequelae in New Zealand. It is known that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) reduces the risk of coronary artery aneurysm formation if given within 8-10 days of onset of KD. METHODS: Retrospective review of medical course, criteria for KD, laboratory and cardiac findings for six children identified with KD and significant coronary artery sequelae. RESULTS: There was delay in diagnosis of KD in three of the six children. Three cases were atypical by extremes of age (2 months, 10 years, 14 years). By definition all six children had significant coronary artery involvement. One patient had a thrombus detected in a coronary aneurysm 3 weeks after KD. One patient underwent coronary artery bypass grafting for unstable angina 2 years after KD. One patient developed coronary artery aneurysms after an initial 'toxic shock' type illness evolving to KD. Three patients died, one due to rupture of a coronary artery aneurysm, two from rapid early coronary artery obstruction occurring at three and 4 months after initial KD. CONCLUSIONS: Kawasaki disease remains an important cause of mortality and morbidity for children. Diagnostic delay beyond 8 days reduces the chances of successful IVIG therapy in KD. Current studies supported by the Paediatric Surveillance Unit should establish the epidemiology of KD in New Zealand.     

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for Kawasaki disease: A case report and literature review

Summary A 31-month-old boy developed right coronary artery stenosis after Kawasaki disease for which he underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The narrowing of the right coronary artery was successfully dilated by angioplasty without apparent complication. This case suggests that PTCA may have a potential advantage as a temporary method to postpone the aortocoronary bypass surgery in a child with coronary artery stenosis due to Kawasaki disease. However, strict patient selection is recommended for coronary angioplasty.