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 immunologic al trigger(s) in genetically predisposed individuals.
Source: Paediatrics and Child Health - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Personal practice Source Type: research