Kawasaki disease
Kawasaki disease is a type of vasculitis which is predominately seen in children. Whilst Kawasaki disease is uncommon it is important to recognise as it may cause potentially serious complications, including coronary artery aneurysms
Features
Kawasaki disease is a clinical diagnosis as there is no specific diagnostic test
Management
Complications
*Kawasaki disease is one of the few indications for the use of aspirin in children. Due to the risk of Reye's syndrome aspirin is normally contraindicated in children.
Features
- high-grade fever which lasts for > 5 days. Fever is characteristically resistant to antipyretics
- conjunctival injection
- bright red, cracked lips
- strawberry tongue
- cervical lymphadenopathy
- red palms of the hands and the soles of the feet which later peel
Kawasaki disease is a clinical diagnosis as there is no specific diagnostic test
Management
- high-dose aspirin*
- intravenous immunoglobulin
- echocardiogram (rather than angiography) is used as the initial screening test for coronary artery aneurysms
Complications
- coronary artery aneurysm
*Kawasaki disease is one of the few indications for the use of aspirin in children. Due to the risk of Reye's syndrome aspirin is normally contraindicated in children.